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Rahman Gumbo

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League champions Chicken Inn will be charged for their officials’ conduct of storming the pitch during their 0-1 loss to FC Platinum last weekend.

Chicken Inn officials charged at Gweru-based referee Thomas Masaa during the game at White City Stadium last Saturday, accusing him of biased officiating after he denied them what they believed was a penalty.

The incident happened in the 76th minute after an FC Platinum defender appeared to have handled inside the box and assistant referee Oscar Bume flagged for the offence and then positioned himself for the spot-kick, only for Masaa to award a free-kick outside the box.

According to reports, Chicken Inn players mobbed Bume before an equally incensed coach Rahman Gumbo charged at the referee to remonstrate against his decision.

The match was stopped for about five minutes before striker Obidiah Tarumbwa took the free-kick in the 81st minute. Chicken Inn officials confronted Masaa, who was under police protection, at the end of the match.

Chicken Inn are likely to face misconduct charges under the league’s rules and regulations.

Part of Article 31 of the PSL rules and regulations says a club faces punishment if “it fails to protect match officials against acts, attempted acts of violence or any other form of abuse before, during or after the match”.

PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said he had received the match official’s report and Chicken Inn’s charge sheet was being prepared.

“We’re in possession of the referee and match commissioner’s reports and we are going to take appropriate action against the club. They will be summoned for a hearing and should have their summons by tomorrow (today),” Ndebele said.

Chicken Inn secretary-general Tawengwa Hara said his club would react to PSL’s disciplinary committee after their matter has been heard by Zifa.

“We wrote to Zifa vice-president (Omega Sibanda) complaining of poor match officiating against FC Platinum and we’re now waiting for the mother body to deal with the matter before attending to what the PSL are planning. Actually we wonder why we are being charged by the PSL because the referee in question has to raise his complaints through the referees’ committee, which is not in existence. Nevertheless, we’ll wait and see the charge sheet, but we still believe that we don’t have a case to answer,” Hara said.