THE NetOne Women’s football final took place on Saturday and was won by Inline Academy. Hearty congratulations to them.
NewsDay Editorial
Well done to all the teams that took part in the competition. Kudos also to the sponsors Net One for the love they have shown for the game and their corporate responsibility to support the girl child in Zimbabwe.
It is unfortunate though that two players — Rufaro Machingura and Tariro Makumbe — did not see things that way. They mercilessly attacked referee Mercy Maimbo at the end of the match, accusing her of helping Inline win.
The referee’s decisions are always final and will never go the players’ way in a game of football unless that match is fixed. Players, therefore, have to accept the result, whatever it is.
So when players decide to behave in a thuggish manner, they no longer belong to the game. Soccer lovers wait to see what action the Zimbabwe Women Football League (ZWFL) will take against the two.
Should the ZWFL fail to sanction them accordingly, football lovers will certainly ask the Mirriam Sibanda-led body to leave office; otherwise they will be seen as part of the thuggery that was witnessed at Rufaro Stadium on Saturday.
The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), which employs the two martial artists masquerading as footballers, is known for its discipline the world over hence it has been assigned peacekeeping roles around the globe. Football lovers wait with bated breath to see what action it will take.
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NetOne’s corporate image has not been enhanced by this act of violence, yet it deserves better.
Leaders of the women’s game are now in a fix: How do they approach sponsors when they can’t guarantee the behaviour of their players?
Machingura and Makumbe have spoilt almost everything for the girl child. When the sponsors take flight from the beautiful game, one cannot blame them.
Sponsors don’t deserve such nonsense. Local football, at all levels, is struggling for sponsorship and, when there is sponsorship and there is bad behaviour, it is the sport that will lose.
The Black Rhinos technical team must take part of the blame for the chaos.
A manager’s duty in the team is not about giving them water, but also watching their behaviour on and off the field of play as it impacts on the corporate image of the ZDF.
Machingura and Makombe do not deserve anyone’s sympathy — they are simply thugs.
For years, ex-chairperson of the ZWFL Mavis Gumbo put up with Machingura’s behaviour in the Mighty Warriors because perhaps she had a responsibility to assist in rehabilitating her.
But Machingura has failed to be rehabilitated and it’s time for her to be confined to the barracks.
The attack was planned.
And football statutes must come into play to send a clear message that hooliganism, especially if perpetrated by players on match officials, cannot and will never be accepted.
