HARARE - Highlanders face Premier Soccer League (PSL) sanctions after they were summoned for a disciplinary hearing following their fans’ behaviour during Sunday’s abandoned game against Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium.
The Bulawayo giants are set to appear before the PSL’s Disciplinary Committee next Tuesday facing charges of breaching the rules and regulations of the game.
Bosso fans threw missiles onto the pitch protesting the Dynamos equaliser scored by Cameroonian forward Christian Ntouba three minutes before the break.
The home side had taken the lead after 24 minutes through a wonderful strike by captain Rahman Kutsanzira.
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Highlanders’ fans were not happy with the decision by referee Munyaradzi Majoni and assistant referee Thomas Kusosa to allow Ntouba’s strike to stand.
The gulf in class and understating between local football fans with the rest of the world came to the fore.
In the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium was also overshadowed by high profile refereeing decisions.
However, the Foxes players vehemently protested the decision while their fans took it on the chin without taking the law into their own hands.
Just a few hours after the fiasco at Barbourfields, there was another hotly contested refereeing decision during Spanish Primera Division match between Real Madrid and Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Following a foul on Real’s Alvaro Morata, defender Nacho scored with a quick free kick with the entire Sevilla players off guard.
It was a controversial goal but Sevilla players and fans showed tremendous maturity as they allowed the game to go ahead without any major incidents that could draw the wrath of the La Liga officials.
The ugly scenes at Barbourfields have caused the PSL to call out the behaviour of the Bosso fans while also summoning their club.
“The PSL does not condone acts of violence and hooliganism in football and urges club leaders to capacitate their security officials and educate their fans so as to eradicate violence from our football,” PSL spokesperson Kudzai Bare said in a statement yesterday.
“The PSL has summoned Highlanders to appear before the PSL Disciplinary Committee following incidents of hooliganism that occurred at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday May 14, 2017 at a Castle Lager PSL match against Dynamos resulting in the abandonment of the match.
“Highlanders have been charged for breaching the Premier Soccer League Rules and Regulations.”
The PSL apologised to all their stakeholders and sponsors for the barbaric incidents broadcasted throughout the continent.
“We would like to apologise to all our stakeholders and fans for the unfortunate incident that happened at Barbourfields Stadium. We appeal to all football-loving fans to desist from violence and assist in identifying the perpetrators of hooliganism,” Bare said.
Meanwhile, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has also castigated the behaviour of the Highlanders fans.
SRC acting director-general Joseph Muchechetere said: “The SRC has learnt of the disturbances that took place at Barbourfields Stadium during the league match pitting Dynamos and Highlanders and this led to the abandonment.
“This is unacceptable in sport and more precisely football. Football is supposed to be a family sport and hence violence has no space in the world’s most beautiful game.
“While the facts are still scant, we want to place it on record that violence at football matches or any other sport cannot be tolerated as this negates the values and ethos of sport which promote friendship among other values.”
Muchechetere also urged the football authorities to get to the bottom of the issue while advising fans to restrain from violence.
“We would like to implore Zifa and PSL to get to the bottom of this unfortunate incident and take decisive action against those found on the wrong side of law,” he said.
“This behaviour scares away sponsors and would-be sponsors and as the leader of the sport sector we cannot fold our arms and watch in akimbo while hooliganism rears its ugly head. We shall be engaging both Zifa and PSL with a view to finding a lasting solution to the serious challenge which is threatening our sport.
“We would like to encourage football fans to restrain themselves and respect the decision of the referees since the clubs have a way of seeking recourse if they feel aggrieved.
“Fans should not take the law into their hands, instead they should allow for the due process to take effect.”
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