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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

CHEATING has reared its ugly head at the ongoing Tanganda Tea/National Association of Secondary School Heads interprovincial netball finals after Pamushana High School of Masvingo fielded a provincial select team.

However because of a technicality in the Nash rules and regulations, the school was allowed to continue participating at the tournament even though some schools had resolved not to play against them.

For the offence the school was fined $500.

“Look the prize money for winning this tournament is $10 000 and fining them a mere $500 is just but a drop in the ocean. How many kids have been disadvantaged from progressing in this tournament as a result? This is just not fair and this school has been cheating with impunity even in football tournaments it’s the same, we wonder what makes it so special. Rules say its $500 per child disqualified meaning a school can deliberately field all the seven illegible players and pay $3 500 after having won $10 000,” fumed one sports director.

Nash president Arthur Maphosa confirmed the Pamushana High cheating case but said their hands were tied because of what he said were ‘soft and outdated’ Nash rules.

“It’s a catch 22 situation for us really because when we act we do that basing on the rule book but I do concur that our rules need a complete overhaul, they are just too soft and weak, not deterrent enough,” said the newly inaugurated Nash president.

He said they have been facing similar problems even in their football tournaments hence his belief that Nash rules need an immediate and complete overhaul.

“We have a rule that if a player assaults an official, a school is fined $300 failure of which that particular school is suspended for two years. This means that if the money to pay a fine is available an athlete can deliberately assault an official and go on to pay the fine which is unfortunate really hence my call to overhaul these rules. We failed to reign in Nyamahuru when they were found on the wrong in our football tournament as a result of these weak and outdated rules,” said the Gwanda High School headmaster.

Former Sports Minister Andrew Langa once mulled pushing for a law through Parliament that will criminalise age cheating with offenders prosecuted through the courts of law.

“My own personal perspective is that we need a law that will criminalise age cheating because it kills our sports.

“Those found doing it should face the full wrath of the law which might even include custodial sentences because it’s corruption and fraud as well. I’ll soon engage the relevant arms of government to make sure we’ve deterrent laws,” former Minister Langa was quoted saying then.