adminMukudzei Chingwere Sports Reporter
THE ZIFA Referees Committee have called on football authorities in the country to quickly deal with football hooliganism at stadiums by coming up with deterrent measures to avoid the continued scourge.
Football stadiums have recently been reduced to “a hard hat area compromising the safety of numerous stakeholders who throng venues to watch games.
Ascot stadium in Gweru this week witnessed sickening scenes on two different occasions when hooligans ran amok turning the venue into a war zone.
It began on Sunday in the Premiership promotion decider pitting TelOne and Tongogara at Ascot where hooligans claiming to front the interest of vanquished Tongogara assaulted their opponents’ fans as well as baying for the blood of the match officials. The chaotic scenes left numerous fans hospitalised including ZIFA Central Region board member marketing, Pithias Shoko while many vehicles were damaged during the mayhem. Four days later at the same venue again, thugs who claimed they were Highlanders fans ran amok and were only cowed into submission when the Zimbabwe Republic Police came in with reinforcements. The barbaric scenes caused a 28-minute stoppage of the match which ended in a 4-0 mauling of Highlanders by host Chapungu.
ZIFA Referees Committee vice-chairman Gladmore Muzambi said yesterday such a trend must not be tolerated by authorities as it hampers on the development of the game.
“Authorities need to come with punishments deterrent enough to avoid a repeat of such behaviour which is now very worrying. “Violence compromises the safety of not only match officials but all the stakeholders who would have come to enjoy football. “Football stadiums are meant for entertainment but if violence is not curtailed it will not be a surprise if most people stay away from the stadiums which will not be good for football.
Online Reporter