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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Referees’ Committee (ZRC) has expressed shock over revelations that some Premier Soccer League referees have been assigned games in the Zifa Southern Region Division One at the expense of second tier officials.
John Mtero, who handles the referees’ appointments in the Southern Region, has been allegedly abusing his power by giving Division One games to some PSL referees, with Prince Mathumo officiating in two games during the same weekend.
Mathumo has so far handled four games, two in the PSL and an equal number in Division One, with the second Division One game being this past weekend in the game involving Bosso 90 and Moto Moto; 48 hours after handling a PSL game at Mandava Stadium between Chapungu and Harare City.
“I was personally shocked to learn that this was happening. For the record we don’t expect PSL referees to handle Division One games except in special circumstances like some young and up-and-coming female referees for the purpose of them getting game time, especially those on the Fifa panel because they rarely get PSL games,” said ZRC chairman, Bryton Malandule.
“I demanded to know why and how we have a referee being given so many games and I didn’t get a satisfactory answer, but be rest assured that it will not happen again.”
Mtero, whose refereeing career lasted in Division One, claimed that some referees were yet to pay affiliation fees to the association and could not be given any matches until they regularise their payments.
A PSL referee gets $270 per game, while those in charge of Division One games are given $100, and Mathumo has to date pocketed $640 in the four games that he has handled, while some referees are yet to get any games.
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