Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Premier Soccer League is going ahead with preparations for the Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals set for the National Sports Stadium this weekend despite uncertainty over the availability of match officials.
On Tuesday the Zifa Referees Committee (ZRC) ordered referees to withdraw their services just moments before Week Two of the Castle Lager PSL matches got underway at various stadia across the country a few hours after the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) had suspended the Zifa board.
ZRC chairperson Bryton Malandule is the only one affected by the suspension as he is a Zifa board member.
“We only postponed Matchday Two fixtures. We will keep you posted on any developments,” said PSL spokesperson Kudzai Bare.
Chibuku Super Cup surprise package Cranborne Bullets are set to lock horns with 2016 winners and 2019 losing finalists Ngezi Platinum Stars on Saturday, with Dynamos and FC Platinum squaring off the following day to determine the two finalists.
Meanwhile, referees accused Malandule and two other ZRC members Brighton Mudzamiri and Obert Zhoya for ordering them to withdraw their services moments before Tuesday’s PSL matches.
The decision was communicated to the referees by Malandule and Mudzamiri, according to the match officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We are not happy with what these guys did. The Sports and Recreation Commission suspended the Zifa board, not football.
Remember when referees travel, they incur expenses, which they recover from match day fees, but we get told moments before kick-off that we disengage simply because one member of the committee has been suspended; this is not their personal project where they can do as they please,” said the referee.
Another referee said it would be interesting to see if the ZRC will call off the elite referees’ and technical referees instructors’ course set to start in Bulawayo tomorrow. The two courses are being held in conjunction with Fifa.
“We know there are nice perks for ZRC members so we want to see if this course will be cancelled otherwise if it goes ahead, everyone will see clearly that the Tuesday decision was just emotional and personalisation of the game in Zimbabwe by a few individuals,” he said.
Malandule said he could not comment since, “I am on suspension”.
Online Reporter