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Ngqabutho Moyo, Sports Reporter 
The Premier Socer League has ruled that it will not reverse the decision to reward Charles Sibanda of Highlanders and Kuda Musharu of How Mine as joint winners of last season’s Top Goal Scorer award.

Sibanda was denied one of the goals in the 3-1 win over Black Rhinos last year when he clearly hit a brace one from a field goal and the other a penalty.

Both goals were not debatable as they were clear efforts but a mistake by the referee resulted in Sibanda sharing the $3,000 prize with Musharu.

At the end of the season PSL erroneously declared that the two strikers were tied on 12 goals yet the Bosso forward scored a goal more.

Highlanders Football Club chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede said the club received a letter from the Premier Soccer League advising them that they were not going to reverse the decision the share the prize money.

“We received a letter from PSL that stated that the league were not going to rely on a player’s word of mouth or any source other than the referees’ report. This means that Sibanda will not be paid the $1,500 paid to Musharu,” said Gumede.

He said what was disturbing was the fact that both PSL and the referees’ body failed to prove the club wrong. “PSL should have produced evidence to show us that Sibanda did not score the 13 goals,” he said.

When Chronicle contacted PSL head of secretariat Kennedy Ndebele, he said all the necessary details about the issue had been communicated to the club and was not going to comment about the issue further.

“We sent a letter stating our position on the issue, we do not communicate through the media we talk to the club, ask the club they will provide you with whatever detail you need,” he said. Highlanders appealed to PSL to rectify the mistake before the award ceremony was held in Harare last year.

Gumede said he expected the PSL and the referees to apologise to the club and Sibanda for the mistake but it seemed they were insisting that their records were correct.

“With this incident we are now questioning the reliability of these referees and we have every reason to suspect some of them are against the club. In our game against How Mine last season the How Mine players approached the Highlanders goal post and did their rituals at the Soweto end which caused the supporters to react which led to some throwing missiles onto field. The referee’s report only noted the missile throwing and not what provoked the supporters to react in that particular manner,” he said.

Gumede said the club does not tolerate any indiscipline by fans but where situations are deliberately provoked, action should also be taken against those who provoke others.