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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ZIFA Southern Region chairman Andrew Tapela has vowed to hit Binga Pirates with punitive measures after their fans attacked referee Hardly Ndazi in a Division One league match last weekend.

Ndazi was attacked at the end of the match in Binga where ZPC Hwange came from a goal down to beat the hosts 2-1.

The referee was savaged for allegedly awarding a dubious penalty to ZPC Hwange.

According to reports, a member of Binga Pirates’ technical staff allegedly pushed Ndazi and then a group of fans attacked the referee.

In a video footage circulating on social media, Ndazi is seen holding a stick trying to protect himself from the charging mob.

Zifa Southern Region is expected to institute an inquiry into the matter and sanction the guilty party.

“As the executive we only act after receiving reports from the referees, match commissioner, the police and both teams involved.

Upon receipt of these, the executive committee then passes on the responsibility to the disciplinary committee, which is independent from the executive. Once they come up with a determination, it will be up to the executive to act on that determination,” said Tapela.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the events in Binga. On the basis of the fact that never at any given time should individuals, coaches, players or referees be molested because of certain suspicions. If you start interpreting things better than the referee then clearly we have a problem. We are going to send a very big message and an example of the perpetrators.

“While the reports are being compiled, the executive committee will be taking some administrative measures which we will act on while these other processes are being worked on. For example, it is risky to say to a team continue playing while we have not sorted this mess.

You can’t beat up someone today and we say play again at home tomorrow. We have not judged the matter, but we have to put in place punitive measures while investigations are ongoing.”

Binga Pirates are currently in 12th place on the 18-team league table with 12 points from 11 games. They have won four games and lost seven in the process. – @innocentskizoe