Why Are There No Black Managers In The Top Leagues?

WARMING:I am not pulling any punches here. If you have issues with race or lingo stop reading this. We live in very hypocritical times of our lives with unrealistic disorders to pacify each other, stroking our egos to justify the shortcomings caused by the evils we indulge in. There are words regarded too strong, rights enjoyed by the sinful, behaviour acceptable regardless of the opinions of others, norms cool only to the perpetrator, dress codes with minimum material or shifted waistlines and outrageous lifestyles that caused fire to rain in biblical times being promoted as rights. Parents can now be genderless.  

The world's top players are black, and not just because of the exploits of Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o or Michael Essien. There has been a good number of blacks in the past, from Pele to Eusebio. This is not to say there has not been outstanding white counterparts as you may as well know of Hungarian Puskas of the Pele era. A few of the other whites of those days were over-rated though.

Within living memory range, John Barnes, Stan Colymore, Les Ferdinand, Ian Wright, Paul Parker, George Weah, Roger Milla, Abedi Pele, Frank Rikjaard and Rudd Gullit were some of the best blacks in the business. They played during the era of Michel Platini, Diego Maradona, Eric Cantona, Bryan Robson, David Ginola and Peter Schmichael. Without looking at the numbers, the scale of balance is even.

This will obviously be supported by the fact that from 1974 when Zaire was beaten 9-0 at a FIFA World Cup to a point Cameroon were cheated from a semi-final berth against England in Italia '90 and freshly, Ghana being Suarezed off the semi-final in the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup, Africa and blacks have been more acceptable much less than their ability but as a way of pulling off cheap political mileage by FIFA, clubs and individuals.

Pele is famous for having predicted an African team winning the FIFA World Cup before the turn of the century. Pele, the World's best player ever and a true legend was basing his naive opinions on merit alone. He looked at football as a game and at black players as masters of football. While that fact is proven, the reality is that Africans are actually the slaves and not masters when it comes to the beautiful game. Africa will never be allowed to win the World Cup unless there is a huge point to score by the organisors. There will not be a FIFA World Player Of The Year. Theirry Henry should have been one at one point. FIFA can ask the captains to recite or read the 'FIFA Fair Play code against racism', but frankly, how many times have we seen that happen followed by monkey chants the following week when black players take to the pitch? These are actually a result of the superiority of the black players.

You will remember how France dominated the game in the 1998 -2000 era. That was a window that showed the world what Africa can do, given the right resources and fair chance. I am not saying France is Africa, but we will not be naive enough and bury our heads in the sand and pretend we don't know the African element in that squad. The whites did not like it and from there on, there was deliberate efforts to throw spanner in the works up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. France totally collapsed and the white world was happy.

It will be hard to ask for fair playing ground and harder because if you ask, who will have to grant it. As blacks, we may need a few things to take our levels up. It is easier and simpler in athletics, where if you are Jessie Owens, you can sprint across a finish line and then Hitler can decide not to shake your hand, but all people saw the sprint. If you are Mohammed Ali, it may be harder as you will need a referee who may not be black, then you will be motivated to plummet your opponent to a pulp. Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt and the William sisters all had to grind their results in contrasting fashions. In individual sports, there is not much suppression and manipulation of results is not easy.

Actually, my point is, with the all the black talent in football, how come there is not even one black coach or Manager of note in top flight football in the UK, Serie A, La Liga or Bundesliga? Paul Ince has been trying to match his white counterparts, namely Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane, Gareth Southgate and Stuart Pierce, just to name a few, without breaking into the Premiership. We can talk of Rikjaard and Gullit from La Liga and the Premiership respectively, but look at the ratio. Is the race issue so bad that professional football players will not hearken to black mentors, and is it the reason why African football associations are so colonised they will not trust their own black coaches to coaches national teams, even if they are paid less and produce better results?

In an ordinary day, I would feel this article is offensive to white or non black people, and this is exactly the mentality that has made many people and nations failures. In the quest to be polite, they lost the plot and sank. Frankly, black people are their own first huddle, especially Africans. The 'white is cool' mentality has not taken us anywhere but down. I guess if someone screws you and do so that you keep smiling, there is no reason to ask them to stop. Worse with us, we screw ourselves, and hard.

Why Are There No Black Managers In The Top Leagues?

WARMING:I am not pulling any punches here. If you have issues with race or lingo stop reading this. We live in very hypocritical times of our lives with unrealistic disorders to pacify each other, stroking our egos to justify the shortcomings caused by the evils we indulge in. There are words regarded too strong, rights enjoyed by the sinful, behaviour acceptable regardless of the opinions of others, norms cool only to the perpetrator, dress codes with minimum material or shifted waistlines and outrageous lifestyles that caused fire to rain in biblical times being promoted as rights. Parents can now be genderless.  

The world's top players are black, and not just because of the exploits of Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o or Michael Essien. There has been a good number of blacks in the past, from Pele to Eusebio. This is not to say there has not been outstanding white counterparts as you may as well know of Hungarian Puskas of the Pele era. A few of the other whites of those days were over-rated though.

Within living memory range, John Barnes, Stan Colymore, Les Ferdinand, Ian Wright, Paul Parker, George Weah, Roger Milla, Abedi Pele, Frank Rikjaard and Rudd Gullit were some of the best blacks in the business. They played during the era of Michel Platini, Diego Maradona, Eric Cantona, Bryan Robson, David Ginola and Peter Schmichael. Without looking at the numbers, the scale of balance is even.

This will obviously be supported by the fact that from 1974 when Zaire was beaten 9-0 at a FIFA World Cup to a point Cameroon were cheated from a semi-final berth against England in Italia '90 and freshly, Ghana being Suarezed off the semi-final in the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup, Africa and blacks have been more acceptable much less than their ability but as a way of pulling off cheap political mileage by FIFA, clubs and individuals.

Pele is famous for having predicted an African team winning the FIFA World Cup before the turn of the century. Pele, the World's best player ever and a true legend was basing his naive opinions on merit alone. He looked at football as a game and at black players as masters of football. While that fact is proven, the reality is that Africans are actually the slaves and not masters when it comes to the beautiful game. Africa will never be allowed to win the World Cup unless there is a huge point to score by the organisors. There will not be a FIFA World Player Of The Year. Theirry Henry should have been one at one point. FIFA can ask the captains to recite or read the 'FIFA Fair Play code against racism', but frankly, how many times have we seen that happen followed by monkey chants the following week when black players take to the pitch? These are actually a result of the superiority of the black players.

You will remember how France dominated the game in the 1998 -2000 era. That was a window that showed the world what Africa can do, given the right resources and fair chance. I am not saying France is Africa, but we will not be naive enough and bury our heads in the sand and pretend we don't know the African element in that squad. The whites did not like it and from there on, there was deliberate efforts to throw spanner in the works up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. France totally collapsed and the white world was happy.

It will be hard to ask for fair playing ground and harder because if you ask, who will have to grant it. As blacks, we may need a few things to take our levels up. It is easier and simpler in athletics, where if you are Jessie Owens, you can sprint across a finish line and then Hitler can decide not to shake your hand, but all people saw the sprint. If you are Mohammed Ali, it may be harder as you will need a referee who may not be black, then you will be motivated to plummet your opponent to a pulp. Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt and the William sisters all had to grind their results in contrasting fashions. In individual sports, there is not much suppression and manipulation of results is not easy.

Actually, my point is, with the all the black talent in football, how come there is not even one black coach or Manager of note in top flight football in the UK, Serie A, La Liga or Bundesliga? Paul Ince has been trying to match his white counterparts, namely Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane, Gareth Southgate and Stuart Pierce, just to name a few, without breaking into the Premiership. We can talk of Rikjaard and Gullit from La Liga and the Premiership respectively, but look at the ratio. Is the race issue so bad that professional football players will not hearken to black mentors, and is it the reason why African football associations are so colonised they will not trust their own black coaches to coaches national teams, even if they are paid less and produce better results?

In an ordinary day, I would feel this article is offensive to white or non black people, and this is exactly the mentality that has made many people and nations failures. In the quest to be polite, they lost the plot and sank. Frankly, black people are their own first huddle, especially Africans. The 'white is cool' mentality has not taken us anywhere but down. I guess if someone screws you and do so that you keep smiling, there is no reason to ask them to stop. Worse with us, we screw ourselves, and hard.

Why Are There No Black Managers In The Top Leagues?

WARMING:I am not pulling any punches here. If you have issues with race or lingo stop reading this. We live in very hypocritical times of our lives with unrealistic disorders to pacify each other, stroking our egos to justify the shortcomings caused by the evils we indulge in. There are words regarded too strong, rights enjoyed by the sinful, behaviour acceptable regardless of the opinions of others, norms cool only to the perpetrator, dress codes with minimum material or shifted waistlines and outrageous lifestyles that caused fire to rain in biblical times being promoted as rights. Parents can now be genderless.  

The world's top players are black, and not just because of the exploits of Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o or Michael Essien. There has been a good number of blacks in the past, from Pele to Eusebio. This is not to say there has not been outstanding white counterparts as you may as well know of Hungarian Puskas of the Pele era. A few of the other whites of those days were over-rated though.

Within living memory range, John Barnes, Stan Colymore, Les Ferdinand, Ian Wright, Paul Parker, George Weah, Roger Milla, Abedi Pele, Frank Rikjaard and Rudd Gullit were some of the best blacks in the business. They played during the era of Michel Platini, Diego Maradona, Eric Cantona, Bryan Robson, David Ginola and Peter Schmichael. Without looking at the numbers, the scale of balance is even.

This will obviously be supported by the fact that from 1974 when Zaire was beaten 9-0 at a FIFA World Cup to a point Cameroon were cheated from a semi-final berth against England in Italia '90 and freshly, Ghana being Suarezed off the semi-final in the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup, Africa and blacks have been more acceptable much less than their ability but as a way of pulling off cheap political mileage by FIFA, clubs and individuals.

Pele is famous for having predicted an African team winning the FIFA World Cup before the turn of the century. Pele, the World's best player ever and a true legend was basing his naive opinions on merit alone. He looked at football as a game and at black players as masters of football. While that fact is proven, the reality is that Africans are actually the slaves and not masters when it comes to the beautiful game. Africa will never be allowed to win the World Cup unless there is a huge point to score by the organisors. There will not be a FIFA World Player Of The Year. Theirry Henry should have been one at one point. FIFA can ask the captains to recite or read the 'FIFA Fair Play code against racism', but frankly, how many times have we seen that happen followed by monkey chants the following week when black players take to the pitch? These are actually a result of the superiority of the black players.

You will remember how France dominated the game in the 1998 -2000 era. That was a window that showed the world what Africa can do, given the right resources and fair chance. I am not saying France is Africa, but we will not be naive enough and bury our heads in the sand and pretend we don't know the African element in that squad. The whites did not like it and from there on, there was deliberate efforts to throw spanner in the works up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. France totally collapsed and the white world was happy.

It will be hard to ask for fair playing ground and harder because if you ask, who will have to grant it. As blacks, we may need a few things to take our levels up. It is easier and simpler in athletics, where if you are Jessie Owens, you can sprint across a finish line and then Hitler can decide not to shake your hand, but all people saw the sprint. If you are Mohammed Ali, it may be harder as you will need a referee who may not be black, then you will be motivated to plummet your opponent to a pulp. Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt and the William sisters all had to grind their results in contrasting fashions. In individual sports, there is not much suppression and manipulation of results is not easy.

Actually, my point is, with the all the black talent in football, how come there is not even one black coach or Manager of note in top flight football in the UK, Serie A, La Liga or Bundesliga? Paul Ince has been trying to match his white counterparts, namely Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane, Gareth Southgate and Stuart Pierce, just to name a few, without breaking into the Premiership. We can talk of Rikjaard and Gullit from La Liga and the Premiership respectively, but look at the ratio. Is the race issue so bad that professional football players will not hearken to black mentors, and is it the reason why African football associations are so colonised they will not trust their own black coaches to coaches national teams, even if they are paid less and produce better results?

In an ordinary day, I would feel this article is offensive to white or non black people, and this is exactly the mentality that has made many people and nations failures. In the quest to be polite, they lost the plot and sank. Frankly, black people are their own first huddle, especially Africans. The 'white is cool' mentality has not taken us anywhere but down. I guess if someone screws you and do so that you keep smiling, there is no reason to ask them to stop. Worse with us, we screw ourselves, and hard.

Why Are There No Black Managers In The Top Leagues?

WARMING:I am not pulling any punches here. If you have issues with race or lingo stop reading this. We live in very hypocritical times of our lives with unrealistic disorders to pacify each other, stroking our egos to justify the shortcomings caused by the evils we indulge in. There are words regarded too strong, rights enjoyed by the sinful, behaviour acceptable regardless of the opinions of others, norms cool only to the perpetrator, dress codes with minimum material or shifted waistlines and outrageous lifestyles that caused fire to rain in biblical times being promoted as rights. Parents can now be genderless.  

The world's top players are black, and not just because of the exploits of Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o or Michael Essien. There has been a good number of blacks in the past, from Pele to Eusebio. This is not to say there has not been outstanding white counterparts as you may as well know of Hungarian Puskas of the Pele era. A few of the other whites of those days were over-rated though.

Within living memory range, John Barnes, Stan Colymore, Les Ferdinand, Ian Wright, Paul Parker, George Weah, Roger Milla, Abedi Pele, Frank Rikjaard and Rudd Gullit were some of the best blacks in the business. They played during the era of Michel Platini, Diego Maradona, Eric Cantona, Bryan Robson, David Ginola and Peter Schmichael. Without looking at the numbers, the scale of balance is even.

This will obviously be supported by the fact that from 1974 when Zaire was beaten 9-0 at a FIFA World Cup to a point Cameroon were cheated from a semi-final berth against England in Italia '90 and freshly, Ghana being Suarezed off the semi-final in the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup, Africa and blacks have been more acceptable much less than their ability but as a way of pulling off cheap political mileage by FIFA, clubs and individuals.

Pele is famous for having predicted an African team winning the FIFA World Cup before the turn of the century. Pele, the World's best player ever and a true legend was basing his naive opinions on merit alone. He looked at football as a game and at black players as masters of football. While that fact is proven, the reality is that Africans are actually the slaves and not masters when it comes to the beautiful game. Africa will never be allowed to win the World Cup unless there is a huge point to score by the organisors. There will not be a FIFA World Player Of The Year. Theirry Henry should have been one at one point. FIFA can ask the captains to recite or read the 'FIFA Fair Play code against racism', but frankly, how many times have we seen that happen followed by monkey chants the following week when black players take to the pitch? These are actually a result of the superiority of the black players.

You will remember how France dominated the game in the 1998 -2000 era. That was a window that showed the world what Africa can do, given the right resources and fair chance. I am not saying France is Africa, but we will not be naive enough and bury our heads in the sand and pretend we don't know the African element in that squad. The whites did not like it and from there on, there was deliberate efforts to throw spanner in the works up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. France totally collapsed and the white world was happy.

It will be hard to ask for fair playing ground and harder because if you ask, who will have to grant it. As blacks, we may need a few things to take our levels up. It is easier and simpler in athletics, where if you are Jessie Owens, you can sprint across a finish line and then Hitler can decide not to shake your hand, but all people saw the sprint. If you are Mohammed Ali, it may be harder as you will need a referee who may not be black, then you will be motivated to plummet your opponent to a pulp. Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt and the William sisters all had to grind their results in contrasting fashions. In individual sports, there is not much suppression and manipulation of results is not easy.

Actually, my point is, with the all the black talent in football, how come there is not even one black coach or Manager of note in top flight football in the UK, Serie A, La Liga or Bundesliga? Paul Ince has been trying to match his white counterparts, namely Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane, Gareth Southgate and Stuart Pierce, just to name a few, without breaking into the Premiership. We can talk of Rikjaard and Gullit from La Liga and the Premiership respectively, but look at the ratio. Is the race issue so bad that professional football players will not hearken to black mentors, and is it the reason why African football associations are so colonised they will not trust their own black coaches to coaches national teams, even if they are paid less and produce better results?

In an ordinary day, I would feel this article is offensive to white or non black people, and this is exactly the mentality that has made many people and nations failures. In the quest to be polite, they lost the plot and sank. Frankly, black people are their own first huddle, especially Africans. The 'white is cool' mentality has not taken us anywhere but down. I guess if someone screws you and do so that you keep smiling, there is no reason to ask them to stop. Worse with us, we screw ourselves, and hard.

I Am Looking For That Dog That Ate My CV.

As it turns out, the Warriors coaching job still up for grabs. Contrary to previous reports carried on this blog and elsewhere in the media, ZIFA are still to appoint the national mentor. The unfortunate and premature announcement was made on the basis of conducted the interviews and was leaked by a different football department altogether.  

Tom Saintfeit was named the said appointee. Saintfeit is currently coach of the Namibian national team and is said to be experiencing some tensions with his current employers. While he travelled with the team for their AFCON qualifier fixtures last week he may be leaving Namibia.

Tom has actually counted himself out of the race and even, there is a claim teams from abroad are interested in his services, particularly India. Former Highlanders and Amazulu boss, Cosmas Zulu, Botswana based Godfrey Tamirepi and Fabian Zulu are among the locals with an interest for the top job.

I am still looking for that dog that ate my CV. I will be trying to bribe one official only to push it through as I know I will pass the interview. Do you reckon ZIFA can meet my $25 000,00 salary demand? It's not really much in any case.

I Am Looking For That Dog That Ate My CV.

As it turns out, the Warriors coaching job still up for grabs. Contrary to previous reports carried on this blog and elsewhere in the media, ZIFA are still to appoint the national mentor. The unfortunate and premature announcement was made on the basis of conducted the interviews and was leaked by a different football department altogether.  

Tom Saintfeit was named the said appointee. Saintfeit is currently coach of the Namibian national team and is said to be experiencing some tensions with his current employers. While he travelled with the team for their AFCON qualifier fixtures last week he may be leaving Namibia.

Tom has actually counted himself out of the race and even, there is a claim teams from abroad are interested in his services, particularly India. Former Highlanders and Amazulu boss, Cosmas Zulu, Botswana based Godfrey Tamirepi and Fabian Zulu are among the locals with an interest for the top job.

I am still looking for that dog that ate my CV. I will be trying to bribe one official only to push it through as I know I will pass the interview. Do you reckon ZIFA can meet my $25 000,00 salary demand? It's not really much in any case.

I Am Looking For That Dog That Ate My CV.

As it turns out, the Warriors coaching job still up for grabs. Contrary to previous reports carried on this blog and elsewhere in the media, ZIFA are still to appoint the national mentor. The unfortunate and premature announcement was made on the basis of conducted the interviews and was leaked by a different football department altogether.  

Tom Saintfeit was named the said appointee. Saintfeit is currently coach of the Namibian national team and is said to be experiencing some tensions with his current employers. While he travelled with the team for their AFCON qualifier fixtures last week he may be leaving Namibia.

Tom has actually counted himself out of the race and even, there is a claim teams from abroad are interested in his services, particularly India. Former Highlanders and Amazulu boss, Cosmas Zulu, Botswana based Godfrey Tamirepi and Fabian Zulu are among the locals with an interest for the top job.

I am still looking for that dog that ate my CV. I will be trying to bribe one official only to push it through as I know I will pass the interview. Do you reckon ZIFA can meet my $25 000,00 salary demand? It's not really much in any case.

I Am Looking For That Dog That Ate My CV.

As it turns out, the Warriors coaching job still up for grabs. Contrary to previous reports carried on this blog and elsewhere in the media, ZIFA are still to appoint the national mentor. The unfortunate and premature announcement was made on the basis of conducted the interviews and was leaked by a different football department altogether.  

Tom Saintfeit was named the said appointee. Saintfeit is currently coach of the Namibian national team and is said to be experiencing some tensions with his current employers. While he travelled with the team for their AFCON qualifier fixtures last week he may be leaving Namibia.

Tom has actually counted himself out of the race and even, there is a claim teams from abroad are interested in his services, particularly India. Former Highlanders and Amazulu boss, Cosmas Zulu, Botswana based Godfrey Tamirepi and Fabian Zulu are among the locals with an interest for the top job.

I am still looking for that dog that ate my CV. I will be trying to bribe one official only to push it through as I know I will pass the interview. Do you reckon ZIFA can meet my $25 000,00 salary demand? It's not really much in any case.

We Need Another FIFA World Cup. Who's With Me?

The 2010 FIFA World Cup came amid verve and expectation of African teams. It felt so obvious that there would be more than a single African team in the quarter final and at least one in the semis. Actually, it never felt an illusion to imagine one in the final. The world practically came and stole the Cup from Africa.

The story, as known to all by now, is how disappointing the teams were. Ghana received a lot of praise and complements as a well polished African side. People forget that it was the same feeling when Cameroon almost reached the finals in Italy. Significantly, it was 20 years ago. A further 12 years from then, Senegal were a revelation in South Korea/Japan in 2002.

In between then and now, and indeed even before that, African junior teams were beating the blue-lights out of the global football heavyweights. This became part of the reason the continent became pregnant with expectation. The 'so near yet so far' feeling was to abide with us for much longer as it is here now.

The obvious fact is that of African players shaping and deciding the destiny of many leagues and championships the world over. Then the corruption and mismanagement by national associations and confederations is an easy and accessible scapegoat. The biggest undoing of the African game is the African professional players themselves. They came to South Africa just for a holiday. These guys will not break a leg for their nations. They have careers to protect, which is great if they pay your rent.

The African Confederation of Football came up with a noble continental concept of home-based players. The overseas professionals are disservicing the continent's football. This involves only non-professional home-based players, and these have a lot of points to prove. They want overseas contracts. They play matches as their interviews; bas if their lives depend on it.

This is what FIFA must emulate. They must inaugurate the version of local-based players for the FIFA World Cup, if they are as serious about the development of African football as they would like us to believe. Maybe it may not work for other continents, but for Africa and Asia, it will. It is easy to think that the national teams have an option of fielding local based players on their own, but FIFA requires associations to field their 'best players' for their (FIFA ) marketing purposes. It is necessary, therefore, to make a deliberate effort to have Africans represented by players who will break, not only a leg, but both, in an endeavour to entertain us and please a potential employers overseas.

A long shot, but this is one of the few ways FIFA can practically help the continent that has given the world so much talent and FIFA so much money. This must be incepted together with the exclusicive use of local coaches who must be regulated to be nationals of the teams they coach, or at least from the continent. This will be a true measure of the world footballing trends and growth, as opposed to the wrong reflections we always see after the big tournaments.

This 'FIFA World Cup 2' would take place 2 years after the full version, the same year as the Euro Cup, and replace one term of the Africa Cup of Nations which currently takes place every 2 years. In this case, we would have AFCON every 4 years, the year of the FIFA World Cup proper.

We Need Another FIFA World Cup. Who's With Me?

The 2010 FIFA World Cup came amid verve and expectation of African teams. It felt so obvious that there would be more than a single African team in the quarter final and at least one in the semis. Actually, it never felt an illusion to imagine one in the final. The world practically came and stole the Cup from Africa.

The story, as known to all by now, is how disappointing the teams were. Ghana received a lot of praise and complements as a well polished African side. People forget that it was the same feeling when Cameroon almost reached the finals in Italy. Significantly, it was 20 years ago. A further 12 years from then, Senegal were a revelation in South Korea/Japan in 2002.

In between then and now, and indeed even before that, African junior teams were beating the blue-lights out of the global football heavyweights. This became part of the reason the continent became pregnant with expectation. The 'so near yet so far' feeling was to abide with us for much longer as it is here now.

The obvious fact is that of African players shaping and deciding the destiny of many leagues and championships the world over. Then the corruption and mismanagement by national associations and confederations is an easy and accessible scapegoat. The biggest undoing of the African game is the African professional players themselves. They came to South Africa just for a holiday. These guys will not break a leg for their nations. They have careers to protect, which is great if they pay your rent.

The African Confederation of Football came up with a noble continental concept of home-based players. The overseas professionals are disservicing the continent's football. This involves only non-professional home-based players, and these have a lot of points to prove. They want overseas contracts. They play matches as their interviews; bas if their lives depend on it.

This is what FIFA must emulate. They must inaugurate the version of local-based players for the FIFA World Cup, if they are as serious about the development of African football as they would like us to believe. Maybe it may not work for other continents, but for Africa and Asia, it will. It is easy to think that the national teams have an option of fielding local based players on their own, but FIFA requires associations to field their 'best players' for their (FIFA ) marketing purposes. It is necessary, therefore, to make a deliberate effort to have Africans represented by players who will break, not only a leg, but both, in an endeavour to entertain us and please a potential employers overseas.

A long shot, but this is one of the few ways FIFA can practically help the continent that has given the world so much talent and FIFA so much money. This must be incepted together with the exclusicive use of local coaches who must be regulated to be nationals of the teams they coach, or at least from the continent. This will be a true measure of the world footballing trends and growth, as opposed to the wrong reflections we always see after the big tournaments.

This 'FIFA World Cup 2' would take place 2 years after the full version, the same year as the Euro Cup, and replace one term of the Africa Cup of Nations which currently takes place every 2 years. In this case, we would have AFCON every 4 years, the year of the FIFA World Cup proper.

We Need Another FIFA World Cup. Who's With Me?

The 2010 FIFA World Cup came amid verve and expectation of African teams. It felt so obvious that there would be more than a single African team in the quarter final and at least one in the semis. Actually, it never felt an illusion to imagine one in the final. The world practically came and stole the Cup from Africa.

The story, as known to all by now, is how disappointing the teams were. Ghana received a lot of praise and complements as a well polished African side. People forget that it was the same feeling when Cameroon almost reached the finals in Italy. Significantly, it was 20 years ago. A further 12 years from then, Senegal were a revelation in South Korea/Japan in 2002.

In between then and now, and indeed even before that, African junior teams were beating the blue-lights out of the global football heavyweights. This became part of the reason the continent became pregnant with expectation. The 'so near yet so far' feeling was to abide with us for much longer as it is here now.

The obvious fact is that of African players shaping and deciding the destiny of many leagues and championships the world over. Then the corruption and mismanagement by national associations and confederations is an easy and accessible scapegoat. The biggest undoing of the African game is the African professional players themselves. They came to South Africa just for a holiday. These guys will not break a leg for their nations. They have careers to protect, which is great if they pay your rent.

The African Confederation of Football came up with a noble continental concept of home-based players. The overseas professionals are disservicing the continent's football. This involves only non-professional home-based players, and these have a lot of points to prove. They want overseas contracts. They play matches as their interviews; bas if their lives depend on it.

This is what FIFA must emulate. They must inaugurate the version of local-based players for the FIFA World Cup, if they are as serious about the development of African football as they would like us to believe. Maybe it may not work for other continents, but for Africa and Asia, it will. It is easy to think that the national teams have an option of fielding local based players on their own, but FIFA requires associations to field their 'best players' for their (FIFA ) marketing purposes. It is necessary, therefore, to make a deliberate effort to have Africans represented by players who will break, not only a leg, but both, in an endeavour to entertain us and please a potential employers overseas.

A long shot, but this is one of the few ways FIFA can practically help the continent that has given the world so much talent and FIFA so much money. This must be incepted together with the exclusicive use of local coaches who must be regulated to be nationals of the teams they coach, or at least from the continent. This will be a true measure of the world footballing trends and growth, as opposed to the wrong reflections we always see after the big tournaments.

This 'FIFA World Cup 2' would take place 2 years after the full version, the same year as the Euro Cup, and replace one term of the Africa Cup of Nations which currently takes place every 2 years. In this case, we would have AFCON every 4 years, the year of the FIFA World Cup proper.

We Need Another FIFA World Cup. Who's With Me?

The 2010 FIFA World Cup came amid verve and expectation of African teams. It felt so obvious that there would be more than a single African team in the quarter final and at least one in the semis. Actually, it never felt an illusion to imagine one in the final. The world practically came and stole the Cup from Africa.

The story, as known to all by now, is how disappointing the teams were. Ghana received a lot of praise and complements as a well polished African side. People forget that it was the same feeling when Cameroon almost reached the finals in Italy. Significantly, it was 20 years ago. A further 12 years from then, Senegal were a revelation in South Korea/Japan in 2002.

In between then and now, and indeed even before that, African junior teams were beating the blue-lights out of the global football heavyweights. This became part of the reason the continent became pregnant with expectation. The 'so near yet so far' feeling was to abide with us for much longer as it is here now.

The obvious fact is that of African players shaping and deciding the destiny of many leagues and championships the world over. Then the corruption and mismanagement by national associations and confederations is an easy and accessible scapegoat. The biggest undoing of the African game is the African professional players themselves. They came to South Africa just for a holiday. These guys will not break a leg for their nations. They have careers to protect, which is great if they pay your rent.

The African Confederation of Football came up with a noble continental concept of home-based players. The overseas professionals are disservicing the continent's football. This involves only non-professional home-based players, and these have a lot of points to prove. They want overseas contracts. They play matches as their interviews; bas if their lives depend on it.

This is what FIFA must emulate. They must inaugurate the version of local-based players for the FIFA World Cup, if they are as serious about the development of African football as they would like us to believe. Maybe it may not work for other continents, but for Africa and Asia, it will. It is easy to think that the national teams have an option of fielding local based players on their own, but FIFA requires associations to field their 'best players' for their (FIFA ) marketing purposes. It is necessary, therefore, to make a deliberate effort to have Africans represented by players who will break, not only a leg, but both, in an endeavour to entertain us and please a potential employers overseas.

A long shot, but this is one of the few ways FIFA can practically help the continent that has given the world so much talent and FIFA so much money. This must be incepted together with the exclusicive use of local coaches who must be regulated to be nationals of the teams they coach, or at least from the continent. This will be a true measure of the world footballing trends and growth, as opposed to the wrong reflections we always see after the big tournaments.

This 'FIFA World Cup 2' would take place 2 years after the full version, the same year as the Euro Cup, and replace one term of the Africa Cup of Nations which currently takes place every 2 years. In this case, we would have AFCON every 4 years, the year of the FIFA World Cup proper.

Remembering - Gift Mpho Leremi

Gift Mpho Leremi will be remembered by many as the best midfielder Bafana Bafana never really had. The young right footed linkman blossomed in the Orlando Pirates ranks during the heydays of Lebohang Mokoena , and Joseph Dukuduku Makhanya. No team had joy when the trio were in town.

Leremi had great work-rate and scored long-range thunderous goals. He became the Bucaneers' king pin at a young age and when on song he was just a joy to watch. He was on the verge of cementing a Bafana Bafana position that was thought to be a moulded South African representative in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

So much was his influence that he made a debut at night in a Mandela Cup match at Ellis Park and showed no nerves at all despite the big occasion. Leremi was so much into his game that Mamelodi Sundowns paid a good sum to pry him off the Ghosts camp.

He moved to Sundowns where his form was emerging to maturity and was involved in the African safari matches with the Brazilians. He played in the Africa Champions' League and was enjoying his stay there.

As a player, he was a balanced dribbler with great vision and passed the ball well together with his fantastic scoring of essential goals. He was self motivated and knew where he wanted to be in his football and he enjoyed his football.

The world was denied to see Leremi's ingenuity at the world stage when the young player lost his life in a car accident. It was such a dark moment for football and his family, of course.

Remembering - Gift Mpho Leremi

Gift Mpho Leremi will be remembered by many as the best midfielder Bafana Bafana never really had. The young right footed linkman blossomed in the Orlando Pirates ranks during the heydays of Lebohang Mokoena , and Joseph Dukuduku Makhanya. No team had joy when the trio were in town.

Leremi had great work-rate and scored long-range thunderous goals. He became the Bucaneers' king pin at a young age and when on song he was just a joy to watch. He was on the verge of cementing a Bafana Bafana position that was thought to be a moulded South African representative in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

So much was his influence that he made a debut at night in a Mandela Cup match at Ellis Park and showed no nerves at all despite the big occasion. Leremi was so much into his game that Mamelodi Sundowns paid a good sum to pry him off the Ghosts camp.

He moved to Sundowns where his form was emerging to maturity and was involved in the African safari matches with the Brazilians. He played in the Africa Champions' League and was enjoying his stay there.

As a player, he was a balanced dribbler with great vision and passed the ball well together with his fantastic scoring of essential goals. He was self motivated and knew where he wanted to be in his football and he enjoyed his football.

The world was denied to see Leremi's ingenuity at the world stage when the young player lost his life in a car accident. It was such a dark moment for football and his family, of course.

Remembering - Gift Mpho Leremi

Gift Mpho Leremi will be remembered by many as the best midfielder Bafana Bafana never really had. The young right footed linkman blossomed in the Orlando Pirates ranks during the heydays of Lebohang Mokoena , and Joseph Dukuduku Makhanya. No team had joy when the trio were in town.

Leremi had great work-rate and scored long-range thunderous goals. He became the Bucaneers' king pin at a young age and when on song he was just a joy to watch. He was on the verge of cementing a Bafana Bafana position that was thought to be a moulded South African representative in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

So much was his influence that he made a debut at night in a Mandela Cup match at Ellis Park and showed no nerves at all despite the big occasion. Leremi was so much into his game that Mamelodi Sundowns paid a good sum to pry him off the Ghosts camp.

He moved to Sundowns where his form was emerging to maturity and was involved in the African safari matches with the Brazilians. He played in the Africa Champions' League and was enjoying his stay there.

As a player, he was a balanced dribbler with great vision and passed the ball well together with his fantastic scoring of essential goals. He was self motivated and knew where he wanted to be in his football and he enjoyed his football.

The world was denied to see Leremi's ingenuity at the world stage when the young player lost his life in a car accident. It was such a dark moment for football and his family, of course.

Remembering - Gift Mpho Leremi

Gift Mpho Leremi will be remembered by many as the best midfielder Bafana Bafana never really had. The young right footed linkman blossomed in the Orlando Pirates ranks during the heydays of Lebohang Mokoena , and Joseph Dukuduku Makhanya. No team had joy when the trio were in town.

Leremi had great work-rate and scored long-range thunderous goals. He became the Bucaneers' king pin at a young age and when on song he was just a joy to watch. He was on the verge of cementing a Bafana Bafana position that was thought to be a moulded South African representative in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

So much was his influence that he made a debut at night in a Mandela Cup match at Ellis Park and showed no nerves at all despite the big occasion. Leremi was so much into his game that Mamelodi Sundowns paid a good sum to pry him off the Ghosts camp.

He moved to Sundowns where his form was emerging to maturity and was involved in the African safari matches with the Brazilians. He played in the Africa Champions' League and was enjoying his stay there.

As a player, he was a balanced dribbler with great vision and passed the ball well together with his fantastic scoring of essential goals. He was self motivated and knew where he wanted to be in his football and he enjoyed his football.

The world was denied to see Leremi's ingenuity at the world stage when the young player lost his life in a car accident. It was such a dark moment for football and his family, of course.

AD HOC Arbitration Committee Judgement: BancABC Semi-Final Match.

Introduction.

The judgement summary dated 03 September 2010, of the Ad Hoc Committee chaired by Mr. Don Moyo and comprising Mr Brighton Mudzamiri and Mr Cuthbert Chitima, over the Highlanders Football Club and Dynamos Football Club BancABC Cup semi-final played at Barbourfields on the 21st of August 2010, were based on their investigation from: (a) the referee’s report (b) Highlanders’s report (c) Dynamos’s report (d) Police report by the Officer In Charge (ZRP Njube ) (e) a DVD for the match.

a) The Referee's Report Summary.

The referee said Highlanders FC were awarded a penalty in the 70 minute, Dynamos players walked off summoned by their coach Elvis Chiweshe and team manager Nyika Chifamba and remained off the pitch for 35 minutes. In the 81st minute Highlanders players protested a penalty awarded to Dynamos and were called off the pitch by their technical manager M. Fathi and remained in their dressing room for 28 minutes after which Highlanders came back and the referee called both captains and advised them that due to bad light it was no longer possible to continue with the game.

b) The Highlanders Report Summary.

Highlanders’s report highlighted Washington Arubi and Ashley Rambanepasi’s conduct, their supporters would not have thrown missiles into the field of play. They further argued that by leaving the field of play after they had been awarded a penalty Dynamos automatically disqualified themselves in terms of the rules of the cup competition. They stressed their walkout they stressed had no bearing on the game as the match was no longer a competitive match but a social one. They also found fault with the way the referee handled the match.

c) Dynamos Report Summary.

Dynamos defended their walkout stating that their players queried the referee’s decision in awarding Bosso the 70th minute penalty. Highlanders supporters started throwing missiles onto the pitch resulting in one of their players being struck by a missile. They walked off the pitch for the safety of their players, and when they were ready to play, the referee and Highlanders captain said they could not citing bad light. They also found fault with the way the referee handled the match.

d) Police Report.

The police report which in all respects corroborates the video evidence was also a useful piece of independent evidence. It talks of the raining of missiles after Dynamos disputed the 70th minute penalty awarded to Highlanders and their increase when Ashley Rambanepasi threw back one of the missiles though the missile landed within the ground.

It further states that their action was loudly supported by their fans and those on the Soweto stands again started throwing missiles into the ground. The fans were urging Highlanders to abandon the match. According to the report the Highlanders fans were now doing everything possible to ensure that the match was permanently abandoned. This piece of evidence is even corroborated by the Highlanders report where they state that their own fans were threatening them not to continue with the match and actually blocked the tunnel for them not to enter the field of play.

e) Video Evidence.

Video evidence was the most independent the committee had and ultimately assisted them to a great extent in coming up with their findings. The committee observed a spirited effort by the Highlanders Chairman, T. Ndhlela, team manager D. Mloyi and team secretary A. Tapela to persuade the Highlanders players to continue with the match there was an equally spirited effort by the Highlanders coach M. Fathi to dissuade the players from continuing.

The coach was the first one to enter the field of play and appeared to be physically moving the players off the pitch. Eventually Highlanders walked off the pitch. When they returned after 28 minutes the referee called off the match. In the intervening period police were having running battles with Highlanders supporters and eventually had to summon a water cannon vehicle to disperse the rowdy crowd.

Findings, and I quote:

"The above is the evidence that was before us. As already indicated our mandate is to investigate the cause(s) leading to the abandonment of the match and thereafter come up with a decision on the way forward. Our first finding was that the match was abandoned in the 81^st minute of play. The referee called off the match because of bad light. Highlanders aver that in terms of the rules of the competition, particularly rule 5.6 the match was over and abandoned when Dynamos refused to play and left the stadium before the end of the match when protesting the 70^th minute penalty awarded against them. We hold a different view. We consider this to be a stoppage of a match, which stoppage was no equivalent to an abandonment.

We are fortified in this view because when Dynamos trooped back onto the pitch, the referee resumed play and continued with it. In terms of the laws of the game the referee is the man in charge and if he continues with the game, it can not be alleged, as Highlanders does, that the game had been abandoned. Interpretation of rule 5.6 in our view is that as long as play resumed and continued after the 70^th minute, Dynamos’s act of leaving the field can not be classified as leaving the stadium before the end of the match or refusing to play. Highlanders are therefore incorrect to hold the view that after resumption of the match in the 71^st minute the game was now a social match and had been abandoned.

 It is common cause that there were two walkouts involving both Dynamos and Highlanders. We now turn to look at the reasons proffered by both clubs for so doing and if there is any supporting evidence to that end.

 The reason given by Dynamos is that of safety of their players. It can not be disputed that missiles were raining onto the pitch and that one of their players was stretchered off the pitch after being struck by a missile. We make a finding that because of threat to their safety Dynamos walked off the pitch.

The reason advanced by Highlanders that the match had ceased to be a competitive match, was now a social match and was now null and void has already been addressed earlier on in this judgement.

As to the point of which they themselves walked off the pitch they blame poor refereeing and because of poor refereeing their fans were incensed, started throwing missiles onto the pitch and threatened them and made it impossible to continue with the game. The fans even blocked the tunnel. We make a finding that Highlanders supporters and Highlanders coach were responsible for Highlanders leaving the field of play.

What emerges as a common factor in both walkouts by Dynamos and Highlanders respectively is the role played by Highlanders supporters. Their role sticks out ugly. We accept as a fact that for their safety Dynamos walked off the pitch. Highlanders on their own part were threatened by their own supporters not to continue with the match. In fact the supporters by raining missiles onto the pitch made it virtually impossible to continue. As a direct result of the supporters’s actions and unruly behaviour the referee called off the match as it was dark to continue. Time had been lost in between the two walk outs by the respective teams.

In view of the above finding of fact what then is the legal position? The legal position is that in terms of the Premier Soccer League rules and regulations, rule 17.4 thereof the home team shall be responsible for the behaviour of its spectators, BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER the match until the stadium is cleared of all persons. In the circumstances we find Highlanders responsible for the unsporting, rowdy and riotous behaviour of its supporters as Highlanders were the home team. Ultimately we find Highlanders responsible for the abandonment of the match. In terms of the rules of the competition, rule 4.1.1 on entering the competition clubs and their players and officials automatically undertake to observe and comply with FIFA, ZIFA and PSL statutes, regulations, directives, circulars, guidelines, decision as well as national and international laws.

The committee is very much alive to the various acts and unsporting behaviour by various individuals from Dynamos and Highlanders. In this respect it is pertinent that we mention Ashley Rambanepasi, Elvis Chiweshe, Nyika Chifamba and M. Fathi and recommend that disciplinary action be taken against them for their various roles in the stoppages involved in the match. We also recommend that for their walkouts the two clubs be also brought for a hearing. We feel we have to single out and commend the Highlanders Chairman Mr. T. Ndhlela, the team Manager D. Mloyi and Secretary A. Tapela for the manner they conducted themselves in the ongoing melee. They are true ambassadors of football.

We further emphasise that nowhere in the world are supporters allowed to determine the fate and destiny of a match by their conduct save obviously in a situation where they are cheering their team vociferously. If the referee has a poor day at the office, as in casu, these are matters to be dealt with in a different forum. Decisions regarding facts connected with play are the referee’s domain and such decisions are final. However we strongly urge the PSL to write to the referee’s committee with a view to addressing the poor standard of officiating.

Having made the finding that Highlanders were responsible for the abandonment of the match we pronounce and declare that the match in which Highlanders took part as lost by the club concerned and won by Dynamos on a 3 –0 scoreline as per the rules."

AD HOC Arbitration Committee Judgement: BancABC Semi-Final Match.

Introduction.

The judgement summary dated 03 September 2010, of the Ad Hoc Committee chaired by Mr. Don Moyo and comprising Mr Brighton Mudzamiri and Mr Cuthbert Chitima, over the Highlanders Football Club and Dynamos Football Club BancABC Cup semi-final played at Barbourfields on the 21st of August 2010, were based on their investigation from: (a) the referee’s report (b) Highlanders’s report (c) Dynamos’s report (d) Police report by the Officer In Charge (ZRP Njube ) (e) a DVD for the match.

a) The Referee's Report Summary.

The referee said Highlanders FC were awarded a penalty in the 70 minute, Dynamos players walked off summoned by their coach Elvis Chiweshe and team manager Nyika Chifamba and remained off the pitch for 35 minutes. In the 81st minute Highlanders players protested a penalty awarded to Dynamos and were called off the pitch by their technical manager M. Fathi and remained in their dressing room for 28 minutes after which Highlanders came back and the referee called both captains and advised them that due to bad light it was no longer possible to continue with the game.

b) The Highlanders Report Summary.

Highlanders’s report highlighted Washington Arubi and Ashley Rambanepasi’s conduct, their supporters would not have thrown missiles into the field of play. They further argued that by leaving the field of play after they had been awarded a penalty Dynamos automatically disqualified themselves in terms of the rules of the cup competition. They stressed their walkout they stressed had no bearing on the game as the match was no longer a competitive match but a social one. They also found fault with the way the referee handled the match.

c) Dynamos Report Summary.

Dynamos defended their walkout stating that their players queried the referee’s decision in awarding Bosso the 70th minute penalty. Highlanders supporters started throwing missiles onto the pitch resulting in one of their players being struck by a missile. They walked off the pitch for the safety of their players, and when they were ready to play, the referee and Highlanders captain said they could not citing bad light. They also found fault with the way the referee handled the match.

d) Police Report.

The police report which in all respects corroborates the video evidence was also a useful piece of independent evidence. It talks of the raining of missiles after Dynamos disputed the 70th minute penalty awarded to Highlanders and their increase when Ashley Rambanepasi threw back one of the missiles though the missile landed within the ground.

It further states that their action was loudly supported by their fans and those on the Soweto stands again started throwing missiles into the ground. The fans were urging Highlanders to abandon the match. According to the report the Highlanders fans were now doing everything possible to ensure that the match was permanently abandoned. This piece of evidence is even corroborated by the Highlanders report where they state that their own fans were threatening them not to continue with the match and actually blocked the tunnel for them not to enter the field of play.

e) Video Evidence.

Video evidence was the most independent the committee had and ultimately assisted them to a great extent in coming up with their findings. The committee observed a spirited effort by the Highlanders Chairman, T. Ndhlela, team manager D. Mloyi and team secretary A. Tapela to persuade the Highlanders players to continue with the match there was an equally spirited effort by the Highlanders coach M. Fathi to dissuade the players from continuing.

The coach was the first one to enter the field of play and appeared to be physically moving the players off the pitch. Eventually Highlanders walked off the pitch. When they returned after 28 minutes the referee called off the match. In the intervening period police were having running battles with Highlanders supporters and eventually had to summon a water cannon vehicle to disperse the rowdy crowd.

Findings, and I quote:

"The above is the evidence that was before us. As already indicated our mandate is to investigate the cause(s) leading to the abandonment of the match and thereafter come up with a decision on the way forward. Our first finding was that the match was abandoned in the 81^st minute of play. The referee called off the match because of bad light. Highlanders aver that in terms of the rules of the competition, particularly rule 5.6 the match was over and abandoned when Dynamos refused to play and left the stadium before the end of the match when protesting the 70^th minute penalty awarded against them. We hold a different view. We consider this to be a stoppage of a match, which stoppage was no equivalent to an abandonment.

We are fortified in this view because when Dynamos trooped back onto the pitch, the referee resumed play and continued with it. In terms of the laws of the game the referee is the man in charge and if he continues with the game, it can not be alleged, as Highlanders does, that the game had been abandoned. Interpretation of rule 5.6 in our view is that as long as play resumed and continued after the 70^th minute, Dynamos’s act of leaving the field can not be classified as leaving the stadium before the end of the match or refusing to play. Highlanders are therefore incorrect to hold the view that after resumption of the match in the 71^st minute the game was now a social match and had been abandoned.

 It is common cause that there were two walkouts involving both Dynamos and Highlanders. We now turn to look at the reasons proffered by both clubs for so doing and if there is any supporting evidence to that end.

 The reason given by Dynamos is that of safety of their players. It can not be disputed that missiles were raining onto the pitch and that one of their players was stretchered off the pitch after being struck by a missile. We make a finding that because of threat to their safety Dynamos walked off the pitch.

The reason advanced by Highlanders that the match had ceased to be a competitive match, was now a social match and was now null and void has already been addressed earlier on in this judgement.

As to the point of which they themselves walked off the pitch they blame poor refereeing and because of poor refereeing their fans were incensed, started throwing missiles onto the pitch and threatened them and made it impossible to continue with the game. The fans even blocked the tunnel. We make a finding that Highlanders supporters and Highlanders coach were responsible for Highlanders leaving the field of play.

What emerges as a common factor in both walkouts by Dynamos and Highlanders respectively is the role played by Highlanders supporters. Their role sticks out ugly. We accept as a fact that for their safety Dynamos walked off the pitch. Highlanders on their own part were threatened by their own supporters not to continue with the match. In fact the supporters by raining missiles onto the pitch made it virtually impossible to continue. As a direct result of the supporters’s actions and unruly behaviour the referee called off the match as it was dark to continue. Time had been lost in between the two walk outs by the respective teams.

In view of the above finding of fact what then is the legal position? The legal position is that in terms of the Premier Soccer League rules and regulations, rule 17.4 thereof the home team shall be responsible for the behaviour of its spectators, BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER the match until the stadium is cleared of all persons. In the circumstances we find Highlanders responsible for the unsporting, rowdy and riotous behaviour of its supporters as Highlanders were the home team. Ultimately we find Highlanders responsible for the abandonment of the match. In terms of the rules of the competition, rule 4.1.1 on entering the competition clubs and their players and officials automatically undertake to observe and comply with FIFA, ZIFA and PSL statutes, regulations, directives, circulars, guidelines, decision as well as national and international laws.

The committee is very much alive to the various acts and unsporting behaviour by various individuals from Dynamos and Highlanders. In this respect it is pertinent that we mention Ashley Rambanepasi, Elvis Chiweshe, Nyika Chifamba and M. Fathi and recommend that disciplinary action be taken against them for their various roles in the stoppages involved in the match. We also recommend that for their walkouts the two clubs be also brought for a hearing. We feel we have to single out and commend the Highlanders Chairman Mr. T. Ndhlela, the team Manager D. Mloyi and Secretary A. Tapela for the manner they conducted themselves in the ongoing melee. They are true ambassadors of football.

We further emphasise that nowhere in the world are supporters allowed to determine the fate and destiny of a match by their conduct save obviously in a situation where they are cheering their team vociferously. If the referee has a poor day at the office, as in casu, these are matters to be dealt with in a different forum. Decisions regarding facts connected with play are the referee’s domain and such decisions are final. However we strongly urge the PSL to write to the referee’s committee with a view to addressing the poor standard of officiating.

Having made the finding that Highlanders were responsible for the abandonment of the match we pronounce and declare that the match in which Highlanders took part as lost by the club concerned and won by Dynamos on a 3 –0 scoreline as per the rules."

AD HOC Arbitration Committee Judgement: BancABC Semi-Final Match.

Introduction.

The judgement summary dated 03 September 2010, of the Ad Hoc Committee chaired by Mr. Don Moyo and comprising Mr Brighton Mudzamiri and Mr Cuthbert Chitima, over the Highlanders Football Club and Dynamos Football Club BancABC Cup semi-final played at Barbourfields on the 21st of August 2010, were based on their investigation from: (a) the referee’s report (b) Highlanders’s report (c) Dynamos’s report (d) Police report by the Officer In Charge (ZRP Njube ) (e) a DVD for the match.

a) The Referee's Report Summary.

The referee said Highlanders FC were awarded a penalty in the 70 minute, Dynamos players walked off summoned by their coach Elvis Chiweshe and team manager Nyika Chifamba and remained off the pitch for 35 minutes. In the 81st minute Highlanders players protested a penalty awarded to Dynamos and were called off the pitch by their technical manager M. Fathi and remained in their dressing room for 28 minutes after which Highlanders came back and the referee called both captains and advised them that due to bad light it was no longer possible to continue with the game.

b) The Highlanders Report Summary.

Highlanders’s report highlighted Washington Arubi and Ashley Rambanepasi’s conduct, their supporters would not have thrown missiles into the field of play. They further argued that by leaving the field of play after they had been awarded a penalty Dynamos automatically disqualified themselves in terms of the rules of the cup competition. They stressed their walkout they stressed had no bearing on the game as the match was no longer a competitive match but a social one. They also found fault with the way the referee handled the match.

c) Dynamos Report Summary.

Dynamos defended their walkout stating that their players queried the referee’s decision in awarding Bosso the 70th minute penalty. Highlanders supporters started throwing missiles onto the pitch resulting in one of their players being struck by a missile. They walked off the pitch for the safety of their players, and when they were ready to play, the referee and Highlanders captain said they could not citing bad light. They also found fault with the way the referee handled the match.

d) Police Report.

The police report which in all respects corroborates the video evidence was also a useful piece of independent evidence. It talks of the raining of missiles after Dynamos disputed the 70th minute penalty awarded to Highlanders and their increase when Ashley Rambanepasi threw back one of the missiles though the missile landed within the ground.

It further states that their action was loudly supported by their fans and those on the Soweto stands again started throwing missiles into the ground. The fans were urging Highlanders to abandon the match. According to the report the Highlanders fans were now doing everything possible to ensure that the match was permanently abandoned. This piece of evidence is even corroborated by the Highlanders report where they state that their own fans were threatening them not to continue with the match and actually blocked the tunnel for them not to enter the field of play.

e) Video Evidence.

Video evidence was the most independent the committee had and ultimately assisted them to a great extent in coming up with their findings. The committee observed a spirited effort by the Highlanders Chairman, T. Ndhlela, team manager D. Mloyi and team secretary A. Tapela to persuade the Highlanders players to continue with the match there was an equally spirited effort by the Highlanders coach M. Fathi to dissuade the players from continuing.

The coach was the first one to enter the field of play and appeared to be physically moving the players off the pitch. Eventually Highlanders walked off the pitch. When they returned after 28 minutes the referee called off the match. In the intervening period police were having running battles with Highlanders supporters and eventually had to summon a water cannon vehicle to disperse the rowdy crowd.

Findings, and I quote:

"The above is the evidence that was before us. As already indicated our mandate is to investigate the cause(s) leading to the abandonment of the match and thereafter come up with a decision on the way forward. Our first finding was that the match was abandoned in the 81^st minute of play. The referee called off the match because of bad light. Highlanders aver that in terms of the rules of the competition, particularly rule 5.6 the match was over and abandoned when Dynamos refused to play and left the stadium before the end of the match when protesting the 70^th minute penalty awarded against them. We hold a different view. We consider this to be a stoppage of a match, which stoppage was no equivalent to an abandonment.

We are fortified in this view because when Dynamos trooped back onto the pitch, the referee resumed play and continued with it. In terms of the laws of the game the referee is the man in charge and if he continues with the game, it can not be alleged, as Highlanders does, that the game had been abandoned. Interpretation of rule 5.6 in our view is that as long as play resumed and continued after the 70^th minute, Dynamos’s act of leaving the field can not be classified as leaving the stadium before the end of the match or refusing to play. Highlanders are therefore incorrect to hold the view that after resumption of the match in the 71^st minute the game was now a social match and had been abandoned.

 It is common cause that there were two walkouts involving both Dynamos and Highlanders. We now turn to look at the reasons proffered by both clubs for so doing and if there is any supporting evidence to that end.

 The reason given by Dynamos is that of safety of their players. It can not be disputed that missiles were raining onto the pitch and that one of their players was stretchered off the pitch after being struck by a missile. We make a finding that because of threat to their safety Dynamos walked off the pitch.

The reason advanced by Highlanders that the match had ceased to be a competitive match, was now a social match and was now null and void has already been addressed earlier on in this judgement.

As to the point of which they themselves walked off the pitch they blame poor refereeing and because of poor refereeing their fans were incensed, started throwing missiles onto the pitch and threatened them and made it impossible to continue with the game. The fans even blocked the tunnel. We make a finding that Highlanders supporters and Highlanders coach were responsible for Highlanders leaving the field of play.

What emerges as a common factor in both walkouts by Dynamos and Highlanders respectively is the role played by Highlanders supporters. Their role sticks out ugly. We accept as a fact that for their safety Dynamos walked off the pitch. Highlanders on their own part were threatened by their own supporters not to continue with the match. In fact the supporters by raining missiles onto the pitch made it virtually impossible to continue. As a direct result of the supporters’s actions and unruly behaviour the referee called off the match as it was dark to continue. Time had been lost in between the two walk outs by the respective teams.

In view of the above finding of fact what then is the legal position? The legal position is that in terms of the Premier Soccer League rules and regulations, rule 17.4 thereof the home team shall be responsible for the behaviour of its spectators, BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER the match until the stadium is cleared of all persons. In the circumstances we find Highlanders responsible for the unsporting, rowdy and riotous behaviour of its supporters as Highlanders were the home team. Ultimately we find Highlanders responsible for the abandonment of the match. In terms of the rules of the competition, rule 4.1.1 on entering the competition clubs and their players and officials automatically undertake to observe and comply with FIFA, ZIFA and PSL statutes, regulations, directives, circulars, guidelines, decision as well as national and international laws.

The committee is very much alive to the various acts and unsporting behaviour by various individuals from Dynamos and Highlanders. In this respect it is pertinent that we mention Ashley Rambanepasi, Elvis Chiweshe, Nyika Chifamba and M. Fathi and recommend that disciplinary action be taken against them for their various roles in the stoppages involved in the match. We also recommend that for their walkouts the two clubs be also brought for a hearing. We feel we have to single out and commend the Highlanders Chairman Mr. T. Ndhlela, the team Manager D. Mloyi and Secretary A. Tapela for the manner they conducted themselves in the ongoing melee. They are true ambassadors of football.

We further emphasise that nowhere in the world are supporters allowed to determine the fate and destiny of a match by their conduct save obviously in a situation where they are cheering their team vociferously. If the referee has a poor day at the office, as in casu, these are matters to be dealt with in a different forum. Decisions regarding facts connected with play are the referee’s domain and such decisions are final. However we strongly urge the PSL to write to the referee’s committee with a view to addressing the poor standard of officiating.

Having made the finding that Highlanders were responsible for the abandonment of the match we pronounce and declare that the match in which Highlanders took part as lost by the club concerned and won by Dynamos on a 3 –0 scoreline as per the rules."

AD HOC Arbitration Committee Judgement: BancABC Semi-Final Match.

Introduction.

The judgement summary dated 03 September 2010, of the Ad Hoc Committee chaired by Mr. Don Moyo and comprising Mr Brighton Mudzamiri and Mr Cuthbert Chitima, over the Highlanders Football Club and Dynamos Football Club BancABC Cup semi-final played at Barbourfields on the 21st of August 2010, were based on their investigation from: (a) the referee’s report (b) Highlanders’s report (c) Dynamos’s report (d) Police report by the Officer In Charge (ZRP Njube ) (e) a DVD for the match.

a) The Referee's Report Summary.

The referee said Highlanders FC were awarded a penalty in the 70 minute, Dynamos players walked off summoned by their coach Elvis Chiweshe and team manager Nyika Chifamba and remained off the pitch for 35 minutes. In the 81st minute Highlanders players protested a penalty awarded to Dynamos and were called off the pitch by their technical manager M. Fathi and remained in their dressing room for 28 minutes after which Highlanders came back and the referee called both captains and advised them that due to bad light it was no longer possible to continue with the game.

b) The Highlanders Report Summary.

Highlanders’s report highlighted Washington Arubi and Ashley Rambanepasi’s conduct, their supporters would not have thrown missiles into the field of play. They further argued that by leaving the field of play after they had been awarded a penalty Dynamos automatically disqualified themselves in terms of the rules of the cup competition. They stressed their walkout they stressed had no bearing on the game as the match was no longer a competitive match but a social one. They also found fault with the way the referee handled the match.

c) Dynamos Report Summary.

Dynamos defended their walkout stating that their players queried the referee’s decision in awarding Bosso the 70th minute penalty. Highlanders supporters started throwing missiles onto the pitch resulting in one of their players being struck by a missile. They walked off the pitch for the safety of their players, and when they were ready to play, the referee and Highlanders captain said they could not citing bad light. They also found fault with the way the referee handled the match.

d) Police Report.

The police report which in all respects corroborates the video evidence was also a useful piece of independent evidence. It talks of the raining of missiles after Dynamos disputed the 70th minute penalty awarded to Highlanders and their increase when Ashley Rambanepasi threw back one of the missiles though the missile landed within the ground.

It further states that their action was loudly supported by their fans and those on the Soweto stands again started throwing missiles into the ground. The fans were urging Highlanders to abandon the match. According to the report the Highlanders fans were now doing everything possible to ensure that the match was permanently abandoned. This piece of evidence is even corroborated by the Highlanders report where they state that their own fans were threatening them not to continue with the match and actually blocked the tunnel for them not to enter the field of play.

e) Video Evidence.

Video evidence was the most independent the committee had and ultimately assisted them to a great extent in coming up with their findings. The committee observed a spirited effort by the Highlanders Chairman, T. Ndhlela, team manager D. Mloyi and team secretary A. Tapela to persuade the Highlanders players to continue with the match there was an equally spirited effort by the Highlanders coach M. Fathi to dissuade the players from continuing.

The coach was the first one to enter the field of play and appeared to be physically moving the players off the pitch. Eventually Highlanders walked off the pitch. When they returned after 28 minutes the referee called off the match. In the intervening period police were having running battles with Highlanders supporters and eventually had to summon a water cannon vehicle to disperse the rowdy crowd.

Findings, and I quote:

"The above is the evidence that was before us. As already indicated our mandate is to investigate the cause(s) leading to the abandonment of the match and thereafter come up with a decision on the way forward. Our first finding was that the match was abandoned in the 81^st minute of play. The referee called off the match because of bad light. Highlanders aver that in terms of the rules of the competition, particularly rule 5.6 the match was over and abandoned when Dynamos refused to play and left the stadium before the end of the match when protesting the 70^th minute penalty awarded against them. We hold a different view. We consider this to be a stoppage of a match, which stoppage was no equivalent to an abandonment.

We are fortified in this view because when Dynamos trooped back onto the pitch, the referee resumed play and continued with it. In terms of the laws of the game the referee is the man in charge and if he continues with the game, it can not be alleged, as Highlanders does, that the game had been abandoned. Interpretation of rule 5.6 in our view is that as long as play resumed and continued after the 70^th minute, Dynamos’s act of leaving the field can not be classified as leaving the stadium before the end of the match or refusing to play. Highlanders are therefore incorrect to hold the view that after resumption of the match in the 71^st minute the game was now a social match and had been abandoned.

 It is common cause that there were two walkouts involving both Dynamos and Highlanders. We now turn to look at the reasons proffered by both clubs for so doing and if there is any supporting evidence to that end.

 The reason given by Dynamos is that of safety of their players. It can not be disputed that missiles were raining onto the pitch and that one of their players was stretchered off the pitch after being struck by a missile. We make a finding that because of threat to their safety Dynamos walked off the pitch.

The reason advanced by Highlanders that the match had ceased to be a competitive match, was now a social match and was now null and void has already been addressed earlier on in this judgement.

As to the point of which they themselves walked off the pitch they blame poor refereeing and because of poor refereeing their fans were incensed, started throwing missiles onto the pitch and threatened them and made it impossible to continue with the game. The fans even blocked the tunnel. We make a finding that Highlanders supporters and Highlanders coach were responsible for Highlanders leaving the field of play.

What emerges as a common factor in both walkouts by Dynamos and Highlanders respectively is the role played by Highlanders supporters. Their role sticks out ugly. We accept as a fact that for their safety Dynamos walked off the pitch. Highlanders on their own part were threatened by their own supporters not to continue with the match. In fact the supporters by raining missiles onto the pitch made it virtually impossible to continue. As a direct result of the supporters’s actions and unruly behaviour the referee called off the match as it was dark to continue. Time had been lost in between the two walk outs by the respective teams.

In view of the above finding of fact what then is the legal position? The legal position is that in terms of the Premier Soccer League rules and regulations, rule 17.4 thereof the home team shall be responsible for the behaviour of its spectators, BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER the match until the stadium is cleared of all persons. In the circumstances we find Highlanders responsible for the unsporting, rowdy and riotous behaviour of its supporters as Highlanders were the home team. Ultimately we find Highlanders responsible for the abandonment of the match. In terms of the rules of the competition, rule 4.1.1 on entering the competition clubs and their players and officials automatically undertake to observe and comply with FIFA, ZIFA and PSL statutes, regulations, directives, circulars, guidelines, decision as well as national and international laws.

The committee is very much alive to the various acts and unsporting behaviour by various individuals from Dynamos and Highlanders. In this respect it is pertinent that we mention Ashley Rambanepasi, Elvis Chiweshe, Nyika Chifamba and M. Fathi and recommend that disciplinary action be taken against them for their various roles in the stoppages involved in the match. We also recommend that for their walkouts the two clubs be also brought for a hearing. We feel we have to single out and commend the Highlanders Chairman Mr. T. Ndhlela, the team Manager D. Mloyi and Secretary A. Tapela for the manner they conducted themselves in the ongoing melee. They are true ambassadors of football.

We further emphasise that nowhere in the world are supporters allowed to determine the fate and destiny of a match by their conduct save obviously in a situation where they are cheering their team vociferously. If the referee has a poor day at the office, as in casu, these are matters to be dealt with in a different forum. Decisions regarding facts connected with play are the referee’s domain and such decisions are final. However we strongly urge the PSL to write to the referee’s committee with a view to addressing the poor standard of officiating.

Having made the finding that Highlanders were responsible for the abandonment of the match we pronounce and declare that the match in which Highlanders took part as lost by the club concerned and won by Dynamos on a 3 –0 scoreline as per the rules."