adminPetros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIFA Referees Committee vice chairman Gladmore Muzambi has expressed satisfaction with the largely successful 2018 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season during which there were no notable official complaints against his members.
Muzambi and his committee headed by ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa have this year been on a crusade to restore some of the legacy which match officials in the country have built, producing such top-class referees like Felix Tangawarima, Wilfred Mukuna, Brighton Mudzamiri, Sam Chirape (late), Joseph Mususa, Sabelo Sibindi-Mpahosa and himself.
As the curtain comes down on the Premiership programme this afternoon, Muzambi has been looking back to a season where his referees did not hog the limelight for wrong reasons.
The veteran administrator, however, said having a decent season was no reason for his officials to relax and rest on their laurels.
“The hallmark of it all has been restoring legacy indeed. We have worked on instilling of discipline and professionalism among the referees and it is bearing fruit. With one round of matches to go to before the end of the PSL season, we look with satisfaction on the performance of referees in the elite league.
“We had no official complaints from clubs. We are also happy that the PSL have also weighed in with quickly dealing with errant clubs whose fans caused disturbances at matches.
“Going forward, more of our efforts will be put in up-skilling the lower classes of referees,’’ Muzambi said.
The PSL this week also delivered judgments in which they penalised champions FC Platinum with a $1 500 fine and runners-up Ngezi Platinum Stars for offences against the security of match officials.
“The PSL disciplinary committee has fined FC Platinum following an incident that saw match officials’ tyres being deflated after a PSL match featuring FC Platinum and Herentals played at Mandava on Sunday 15 September 2018.
“In terms of the PSL rules and regulations Order 31.1.1.15, it is an act of misconduct on the part of the club where:
It fails to protect match officials against acts or attempted acts of violence or any form of abuse before, during or after a match.
FC Platinum were ordered to pay $1 000 by November 30, while $500 was suspended for the 2019 season “on condition that the accused is not convicted of a similar offence.
In the case of Ngezi Platinum, it was their versatile player Liberty Chakoroma who was found guilty of assaulting a match official after a Chibuku Super Cup first round match against Herentals FC at Baobab Stadium, played on Saturday 22 September 2018.
Chakoroma was charged for contravening PSL rules and regulations Order 31.2.9 , which state that it in an act of misconduct on the part of a player who: “assaults, intimidates, coerces, interferes, misleads or insults a match official, player, official of the league, public, press or media, or any person, before, during or after a match.
Chakoroma was suspended for three matches starting this afternoon and which will be carried over to the start of the 2019 season. He was also ordered to pay the costs of the hearing. Muzambi is also happy to note the growing confidence that the Confederation of African Football has been placing on local referees, with two sets of officials being tasked to handle matches in the Champions League and Confederation Cup preliminary round games which begin next week.
Zimbabwe champions FC Platinum are also involved in the Champions League and will begin their campaign with an away trip to Madagascar against CNaPS on Wednesday.
CAF have been regularly appointing the cast of local referees led by Norman Matemera, who have acquitted themselves well on continental duties.
Matemera will be the fourth official in a game to be handled by Nomore Musundire, assisted by Luckson Mhara, and Brighton Nyika. Musundire and his crew will take charge of the Champions League tie between Mamelodi Sundowns and Leones Vegetarians of Equatorial Guinea in Pretoria on December 5.
But it is Pilan Ncube, assisted by Edgar Rumeck, Tafadzwa Nkala and fourth official Musundire will get the ball rolling when they preside over the Confederation Cup preliminary round tie involving Tanzanian outfit Mtibwa Sugar and Northern Dynamos of Seychelles next Wednesday.
“The referees who are the ambassadors have embraced the call for doing well and we say to them do not relax into a comfort zone . . . continue to perform better and better.
“Those coming up the ranks should be spurred to emulate the good performance by those before them.
Online Reporter