adminRicky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
REFEREES’ fitness will be under scrutiny when the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season kicks off on Friday as match officials are yet to undergo mandatory physical tests.
Referees are regularly tested in a series of timed runs in order to meet the strict criteria, but Zifa could plunge domestic football into a crisis by its failure to organise physical tests to ascertain their fitness to officiate competitive matches.
The PSL season starts on Friday with How Mine playing host to newly promoted Bulawayo City at White City Stadium.
Xolisani Gwesela, the Zifa communications manager tried to allay fears that the unavailability of a referees committee meant to supervise match officials would affect games.
He said a meeting will be held before the start of the season where the issue of a referees’ training programme will be discussed.
“By the time the league matches start on Friday the issue you are asking about (referees’ physical tests) would have been ironed out. Everything is under control,” said Gwesela.
It seems appointments for the opening PSL matches this weekend will be a one-man show with Obert Mamvura, the Zifa referees’ desk manager calling the shots.
Only four referees Norman Matemera, Salani Ncube, Nomore Musundire and Edgar Rumeki who are in the CAF referees’ panel are arguably fit to officiate.
The quartet handled the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Kenya and Guinea-Bissau at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi on Sunday.
A riot stopped play for about 30 minutes as Kenya fans threw missiles at the Guinea Bissau bench and the fourth official protesting a goal awarded to Guinea Bissau after 81 minutes. Kenya’s players were arguing that the ball had not crossed the line, but first assistant referee Ncube was spot on and Matemera, who was at the centre, let the goal stand.
It’s not automatic that top referees pass the rigorous fitness test just like former England top referee Phil Dowd discovered in 2012. Dowd failed a fitness test three weeks after taking charge of the FA Cup final.
Besides sorting out the referees mess, Zifa also need to urgently appoint a grounds committee that has to ensure all stadia are compliant with existing standards for staging PSL games.
In the PSL first and second week programme released recently, three fixtures still had venues awaiting certification.
Sakubva Stadium, the home of Mutare City Rovers, Beitbridge’s Dulibadzimu Stadium (Border Strikers) and Ngezi Platinum’s home ground have question marks from the PSL.
Rovers are home to Ngezi Platinum on Saturday and have three days to know whether they will be allowed to play at Sakubva or another venue.
Ngezi Platinum and Border Strikers have a week to know if their venues meet Zifa standards. They play their opening games away from home.
Fixtures
Week One
Friday: How Mine v Bulawayo City (White City, 3PM, SuperSport)
Saturday: Chicken Inn v Dynamos (Barbourfields, 3PM, SuperSport), ZPC Kariba v Border Strikers (Nyamhunga), FC Platinum v Tsholotsho (Mandava), Mutare City v Ngezi Platinum (TBA)
Sunday: Caps United v Chapungu (National Sports Stadium), Hwange v Highlanders (Colliery), Triangle United v Harare City (Gibbo)
Week Two
Friday, April 8: Harare City v Mutare City Rovers (Rufaro, 3PM, SuperSport)
Saturday, April 9: Bulawayo City v Tsholotsho (Barbourfields), How Mine v ZPC Kariba (Luveve), Chapungu v Hwange (Ascot), Ngezi Platinum v Caps United (TBA), Dynamos v Triangle United (Rufaro, 3PM, SuperSport)
Sunday, April 10: Border Strikers v Chicken Inn (TBA), Highlanders v FC Platinum (Barbourfields)
TBA – Subject to Stadium certification
derick.khumalo