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The gold miners accuse the league of handing down a biased judgment and contend that they were never summoned to attend the disciplinary hearing.
The Gwanda derby played on 17 November at Blanket Mine Stadium ended prematurely with the visitors leading 3-0 in added time of the second half.
Pandemonium started when the visitors scored their last goal through Archibold Mushangeni on the stroke of full time which saw the supporters scaling the security fence and a pitch invasion ensued resulting in Blanket Mine players walking off the pitch as they claimed that one of their players had been assaulted by the Vumbachikwe supporters.
The Central Soccer League found Vumbachikwe guilty of bringing the game of football into disrepute which attracted a fine of $1000 and causing the abandonment of the game which saw them being fined $500.
Furthermore, Vumbachikwe were asked to repair the gate and fence which were damaged by their supporters.
Part of the judgment signed by the league’s secretary Stanley Chapeta reads, “Following a board meeting which was held on 2 December 2012, it was agreed that you are supposed to pay $1000 for the two offences that you committed,that is scaling Blanket Mine perimeter fence and gate according to the Rules and Regulations Tarriffs No (51). The fine should be paid within 14 days from receipt of this letter.
“The documentary evidence submitted shows that the Vumbachikwe supporters caused the abandonment of the match on Saturday 17 November 2012 at Blanket Mine Stadium,
“The Rules and Regulations of the league are clear and therefore should be abided with. Therefore you are fined $500 for causing the abandonment of the match according to the Central Soccer League Rules and Regulations tariffs no (29) which should be paid within 14 days of receipt of this letter.”
However, Vumbachikwe secretary general Tofirei Sibanda described the verdict as “a sham” as he alleged that they were never called for a hearing to present their side of the story and argued that contrary to the ruling, the match commissioner’s report, referee’s report and police report pointed to Blanket Mine as the culprits who had caused the abandonment of the match as they walked off the pitch before the match had ended.
“We cannot continue to play in a league where some clubs are bigger than the others and sham judgments are passed which is not in the spirit of fair play as we believe we did not do anything wrong,” a livid Sibanda said.
A legal expert who refused to be named said that the ruling was null and void since the verdict was handed by the league’s executive committee which has no jurisdiction in dealing with disciplinary issues.
“The league executive is probably ignorant of their own constitution because it clearly states that issues of a disciplinary nature are dealt with by the disciplinary committee which is independent from the former and as such the judgment passed by the executive committee is null and void,” said the expert.
Article 36 of the Zifa Central Region Constitution reads, “The management committee shall pass decisions on all cases that do not come within the sphere of responsibility of the General Assembly or are not reserved for other bodies by law or under this Constitution.”
Under the same constitution disciplinary issues are dealt by the region’s disciplinary committee headed by Gweru lawyer, Reginald Chidawanyika.
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo