Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE Premier Soccer League has slapped Harare City coach Taurai Mangwiro with a US$1 250 fine for making comments deemed to put the integrity of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and its sponsors into disrepute.
Mangwiro questioned the appointment of referee Thabani Bamala for his side’s Chibuku Super Cup first round tie against Chicken Inn at Luveve Stadium on Saturday after the match official had presided over a controversial league match a week earlier.
The Sunshine Boys lost 2-0 to the GameCocks in the cup tie.
“The incident leading to their (Chicken Inn’s first) goal, remember I was still engaging the fourth official because I felt there was no foul committed. I didn’t see any of the Chicken Inn players appealing.
“Someone saw a foul from that restart and that is when we went on to concede. It’s the small little things, but at the end of the day, it costs us as coaches. But someone, even if I am mentioning it now, to some of you it is actually a surprise but to me these are small little things that I look at and have been affecting us.
“The same official last week against Bulawayo City; what happened? The game involving Bulawayo City and Caps United and today he is there in the centre, same kind of refereeing. Are we saying the way he handled the Bulawayo City game was the fairest that he deserves another appointment?” said Mangwiro in part of the interview.
Mangwiro is charged under Article of the Standing Orders, which punishes a player or official that makes comments in the mainstream or social media implying bias, questions the integrity or brings the league and/or its sponsors into disrepute or are abusive, offensive and/or insulting.
According to the Article, a fine of US$1 250, payable in local currency at the prevailing interbank rate on the date of payment, will be imposed on the club to which the person is attached and the club must advise in writing of the action taken to discipline the individual.
If no action is taken by the club within 14 days, the initial fine is doubled.
“Mangwiro was fined a sum of USD$1 250. The PSL reminds clubs to adhere to rules and regulations and desist from making remarks that imply bias on the part of match officials and bring the game into disrepute. We reiterate that official complaints regarding match officiating should be submitted to the PSL,” read a statement from PSL.
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Bongani Ndlovu