THE suspension of one of the match officials in Sunday’s abandoned Chibuku Cup quarter-final match pitting Simba Bhora against Highlanders has no bearing should authorities summon the Bulawayo giants to face disciplinary action, a lawyer has said.
The match at Wadzanayi Stadium was abandoned in the 76th minute after Bosso players protested referee Cecil Gwezera’s decision to award Simba Bhora a penalty, adjudging defender Peter Muduhwa felled striker Tinashe Bakalasi inside the box.
Assistant referee Zondzi Ngosana was immediately suspended for six matches after the match.
“The suspension has been occasioned by your low standard of officiating in the match, Simba Bhora versus Highlanders at Wadzanayi Stadium, Shamva, on September 22, 2024,” Ngosana’s suspension letter read.
In the match, the referee awarded a penalty to Simba Bhora for a foul which occurred outside the penalty area.
“As the assistant, you should have been marking the penalty area line which is parallel to the goal line. That way, you would have been able to see that the ball was out of the penalty area. That decision impacted on the match. The match was abandoned,” the Zifa referees’ committee stated.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) normally issues summons to defaulting clubs after getting reports from the match officials and by yesterday, they had not said a word on Sunday’s incident.
However, a prominent lawyer said Ngosana’s censure will have no effect on the case if Highlanders is summoned to appear before a PSL disciplinary hearing.
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“The rules and regulations of the [Chibuku Super Cup] tournament are clear. Highlanders should have played under protest and then complained later. The suspension of the match official will have no bearing on the case. These are two different committees at work,” the lawyer said.
Highlanders stand losing the match, paying a fine and being suspended from participating in the tournament, which will also curtail their continental competition ambitions in terms of the Caf Confederation Cup participation unless they win the league championship to take part in the Caf Champions League.
The PSL disciplinary committee ruling cannot be appealed.
In 2017, Chicken Inn pleaded guilty for causing the abandonment of their Chibuku Super Cup first-round tie against Yadah.
The GameCocks had protested the awarding of a penalty to Yadah in the 89th minute and walked off the pitch.
Yadah were awarded the match on a 3-0 score line and Chicken Inn were fined US$2 000 and did not participate in the 2018 edition of the competition.
Meanwhile, Highlanders take on Arenel in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.
Today’s fixtures
Green Fuel v FC Platinum (Green Fuel Arena)
Simba Bhora v Chegutu Pirates (Wadzanayi Stadium)
Yadah v Herentals (The Heart Stadium)
Hwange v CAPS United (Colliery Stadium)
Highlanders v Arenel Movers (Barbourfields Stadium)
Manica Diamonds v ZPC Kariba (Sakubva Stadium)
TelOne v Bikita Minerals (Ascot Stadium)
Bulawayo Chiefs v Ngezi Platinum (Luveve Stadium)
