adminRicky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Prisons and Correctional Services Zifa Southern Region Division One League side Ntabazinduna are likely to face a heavy fine after their players and officials assaulted referee Saidi Phiri last Saturday.
Ntabazinduna players and officials went berserk, shoving and pushing Phiri after their 1-2 loss to Talen Vision at White City Stadium.
Ntabazinduna were not happy with Saidi Phiri’s decision to show red cards to goalkeeper George Zuze and infield player Dickson Phiri.
The incident was captured on video by freelance journalist Thandazani Zimbwa and it has since gone viral.
In the video, Saidi Phiri is seen ducking some jabs during the scuffle before being rescued by the police.
The incident comes a month after Zifa slapped Victoria Falls Tigers’ defender Lethukuthula Mathe with a 10-year football ban for assaulting a referee in a Division One League match in September.
Mathe assaulted referee Bekezela Makeka during his team’s 0-1 loss to Amagagasi in Victoria Falls. He will, however, serve half the sentence after the committee suspended five years on condition he does not commit a similar offence should he return to action after serving his punishment.
Mathe went berserk and punched Makeka several times for showing him a red card for a crude tackle on an Amagagasi player. The attack was also captured on a video which trended on social media platforms, with some continental television stations even broadcasting the clip.
Technosphere striker Artwell Nyoni was also slapped with a 12-month suspension and ordered to pay a $100 fine before the end of December after being found guilty of violently charging at referee Mhaka Magare during a match against Amagagasi last month.
Technosphere team manager Mthenjwa Moyo was hit with a 10-match ban and fined $200.
Zifa Southern Region chairman Musa Mandaza said they were worried about these despicable incidents creeping into the league.
“It seems people are not taking heed of the hefty penalties handed to people making life miserable for referees. We will certainly take Ntabazinduna to task over that despicable conduct at White City on Saturday.
“I’m disappointed with Ntabazinduna’s conduct because these should be people of high integrity whom we expect to show exemplary behaviour. Violence has no room in our football. The disciplinary committee will act once all relevant documents are received,” said Mandaza.
With the Southern Region Division One League season ending this weekend, Mandaza said Ntabazinduna’s matter would be dealt with “urgently”.
Ntabazinduna are third from the bottom of the table and face log leaders Bulawayo Chiefs in their last game of the season at home.
Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Bulawayo Chiefs 29 19 6 4 44 16 28 63
Bantu Rovers 29 19 4 6 48 14 34 61
Amagagasi 29 17 7 5 34 13 21 58
ZPC Hwange 29 15 10 4 32 14 18 55
ZRP Bulawayo 29 11 11 7 32 20 12 44
Talen Vision 29 12 5 12 31 36 -5 41
Black Boots 29 9 10 10 37 31 6 37
Indlovu Iyanyathela 29 10 7 12 25 31 -6 37
Technosphere 29 9 9 11 21 30 -9 36
Victoria Falls Tigers 29 10 5 14 25 35 -10 35
Casmyn 29 8 10 11 27 26 1 34
Bosso90 29 8 8 13 35 34 1 32
Makomo 29 7 11 11 22 26 -4 32
Ntabazinduna 29 6 13 10 17 32 -15 31
Hwange Juniors 29 4 11 13 16 35 -19 23
ZRP Hwange 29 2 3 24 11 66 -55 9
@ZililoR.
Online Reporter