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NewsDay

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PSL fines troublesome clubs

Sport
THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) has descended heavily on truant clubs and officials for various offences that they have committed since the start of the season. Financially-unstable Shabanie Mine and their coach Takesure Chiragwi have received the biggest fines amounting to $3 300 for incidences that happened in three separate matches.

THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) has descended heavily on truant clubs and officials for various offences that they have committed since the start of the season. Financially-unstable Shabanie Mine and their coach Takesure Chiragwi have received the biggest fines amounting to $3 300 for incidences that happened in three separate matches.

BY HENRY MHARA

The Zvishavane-based side earned themselves a $2 000 fine after their supporters threw missiles onto the pitch in their 1-1 draw against Caps United at Maglas Stadium a fortnight ago.

Seven days earlier, Chiragwi had blamed his team’s 1-0 defeat to Yadah FC at the National Sports Stadium on poor officiating. His utterances during the post-match Press conference, in which he implied referees’ bias towards the home side, were deemed “reckless” by the PSL, who slapped the youthful coach with a $1 250 fine.

Shabanie Mine, one of the poorest clubs in the country, will have to fork out an extra $50 for using a kit without a sponsor’s logo and name on the back of their goalkeeper’s jersey in the match against Chicken Inn, in violation of the league’s regulations.

Another financially-struggling side Mutare City, were also punished heavily for the club and their coach, Joseph Takaringofa’s transgressions.

They will have to pay the PSL $2 000 after their technical officials and security personnel invaded the pitch at Vengere Stadium to protest a referee’s decision that had gone against the home side during their match against FC Platinum.

Takaringofa is being accused of issuing a reckless statement in the media implying bias after his team’s match against Ngezi Platinum Stars at Baobab Stadium. The coach suggested that his team was not “protected” by the match officials everytime they played the so-called big teams. He was fined $1 250 for his troubles.

Other officials that have been caught on the wrong side of the law are Harare City goalkeeper’s coach Tichaona Diya, Robert Jiuro of Chapungu and Tirivavi Sithole of Chicken Inn. The trio were expelled from their respective technical benches for using abusive language towards match officials, and for disorderly behaviour.

Diya was sent off during his team’s match against Chapungu at Ascot Stadium, while Jiuro verbally abused the referee during the army side’s encounter with FC Platinum at the same venue.

Sithole was dismissed from the technical area for his disorderly conduct during the match against Caps United at the National Sports Stadium. They were all fined $250 each.

ZPC Kariba will also pay dearly for their no-show in their season opener against champions FC Platinum. The Kariba-based side refused to travel to Harare to fulfil the fixture, which had been scheduled for the National Sports Stadium, insisting on playing the match at their home ground Nyamhunga Stadium, which had not been homologated by the PSL.

On top of the three points that were forfeited, ZPC Kariba will also have to pay $1 250 for their mischief.

The list could have been incomplete without giants Dynamos and Caps United on it. Dynamos have been handed a $2 000 fine after their supporters threw missiles on the field of play in their team’s chaotic 1-1 draw with Yadah FC at Rufaro Stadium in April.

DeMbare supporters started raining missiles on the field, protesting a throw-in decision that had gone against their team.

That incident would set the tone for the rest of the match, causing countless stoppages during the course.

The situation degenerated into chaos during the half-time break when a police officer discharged a teargas canister, and the supporters responded by pelting the law enforcement agents with various objects and running battles ensued which saw some fans invading the pitch, leading to a 15-minute delay to the restart of the match.

Caps United have been penalized for using a kit without the sponsor’s logo improperly secured as per standard PSL kit regulations and using a kit with improperly printed names on their kit against Bulawayo City. United were forced to use a training kit for the match after their kits clashed with that of the home side. Kick-off of the match had to be delayed. The Harare side have been fined $1 150 for that.