Controversial Dembare referee Matemera failed a fitness test

It has come to light that controversial referee Norman Matemera failed his fitness test earlier this year in February at the National University of Science and Technology.

Matemere robbed Highlanders of victory in Harare when he extended the three minutes injury time by another three minutes.

Fifa panel referees Norman Matemera and Brighton Nyika were among four referees who failed a fitness test held at NUST, the Chronicle of 12 February reported.

A total of 52 referees from across the country attended the test with Thomas Kusosa and female referee Saneliso Sibanda joining the Fifa panellists duo on the failures' list.

Zifa referees' fitness trainer and retired referee, Joseph Mususa, said the test was to gauge the fitness levels of the referees ahead of the 2013 Premier Soccer League season.

Fifa statutes require a re-run to be undertaken between six and eight weeks after the first trial.

Highlanders have since filed a complaint with the PSL against referee Matemera.

The match ended after three more minutes on top of the indicated three-minute added time allowing Partson Jaure to salvage a draw for Dynamos by cancelling Njabulo Ncube's 52nd lead for Bosso.

With Matemera justifying the added time as compensation for stoppages when Highlanders players feigned injuries during injury time, the Bulawayo giants interpreted it as a deliberate plot to afford Dynamos the equaliser.

The Zimbabwe Referees Association has since come out in full support of Matemera's decision. But Highlanders chairman Peter Dube said they are not resting until the match's circumstances are formally reviewed.

"We have formally written to the PSL registering our disgruntlement over the way that match was handled. We view the referee's conduct as a travesty to football justice. It would be fair for a full post-mortem of that period of the game to be conducted. That is exactly what we want," Dube said.