Sports / Soccer
Favouritism rocks referees appointments
04 Jul 2013 at 08:42hrs | Views
FAVOURITISM has once again rocked the appointment of Premier Soccer League referees in the badly divided Bulawayo province with one female referee getting as many as four games inside a month, three of the games within a week.
The female referee whose elevation to the elite Fifa panel referees was also controversial is a former employee of a Zimbabwe Referees Committee official.
In an e-mailed letter, a disgruntled referee said the clear and blatant favouritism has reached alarming levels and poses a serious threat to professionalism within the system as the referee in question now openly boasts of being the untouchable.
"She mocks other referees telling them on their faces that, "Izvo zvekumhanya semapenzi ndezvenyu, isusu tirikukwenya magames kwawo, takagara zvedu chitidya mari.. (okokugijima njengamalema ngokwenu, thina sisebenza imidlalo engcono, sihleli sisidla imali)" (This issue of running like fools is for you, some of us are enjoying money while seated). It is so painful to others who work hard, only to achieve nothing at the end of the day," wrote the referee.
The female referee in question has constantly been appointed as the fourth official, a scenario attributed to the fact that she is related to top officials.
Gumede though seems to be absolved of any wrong doing, according to the letter.
"I forgive Gumede because he is given the wrong information, that man does not condone such practices," read the letter.
A quick check revealed that the favoured referee was the fourth official in a match between Highlanders and Black Mambas on 26 May, Shabanie Mine and Black Rhinos (21 May), Chicken Inn and Black Mambas (1 June), Highlanders and Black Rhinos (16 June), How Mine and Triangle (20 June) as well as the Tripple B match against Buffaloes ( 22 June).
Contacted for comment, Patrick Marumbi, who appoints, the referees denied that the female referee was being favoured but confirmed that she has been getting a lot of game time "because she is the only female referee."
"We have female assistant referees who also get some game time but not at the same rate as their male counterparts because of the intensity of the games. I must also concur though that the lady you are mentioning does get the better part of the cake in terms of the games due to the above reason," said Marumbi.
He could not explain why male referees were not being appointed fourth officials.
The other female referee on the Fifa list, Rudo Nhananga has been appointed to officiate at just one match.
Efforts to get a comment from the particular female referee were in vain.
The female referee whose elevation to the elite Fifa panel referees was also controversial is a former employee of a Zimbabwe Referees Committee official.
In an e-mailed letter, a disgruntled referee said the clear and blatant favouritism has reached alarming levels and poses a serious threat to professionalism within the system as the referee in question now openly boasts of being the untouchable.
"She mocks other referees telling them on their faces that, "Izvo zvekumhanya semapenzi ndezvenyu, isusu tirikukwenya magames kwawo, takagara zvedu chitidya mari.. (okokugijima njengamalema ngokwenu, thina sisebenza imidlalo engcono, sihleli sisidla imali)" (This issue of running like fools is for you, some of us are enjoying money while seated). It is so painful to others who work hard, only to achieve nothing at the end of the day," wrote the referee.
The female referee in question has constantly been appointed as the fourth official, a scenario attributed to the fact that she is related to top officials.
Gumede though seems to be absolved of any wrong doing, according to the letter.
"I forgive Gumede because he is given the wrong information, that man does not condone such practices," read the letter.
A quick check revealed that the favoured referee was the fourth official in a match between Highlanders and Black Mambas on 26 May, Shabanie Mine and Black Rhinos (21 May), Chicken Inn and Black Mambas (1 June), Highlanders and Black Rhinos (16 June), How Mine and Triangle (20 June) as well as the Tripple B match against Buffaloes ( 22 June).
Contacted for comment, Patrick Marumbi, who appoints, the referees denied that the female referee was being favoured but confirmed that she has been getting a lot of game time "because she is the only female referee."
"We have female assistant referees who also get some game time but not at the same rate as their male counterparts because of the intensity of the games. I must also concur though that the lady you are mentioning does get the better part of the cake in terms of the games due to the above reason," said Marumbi.
He could not explain why male referees were not being appointed fourth officials.
The other female referee on the Fifa list, Rudo Nhananga has been appointed to officiate at just one match.
Efforts to get a comment from the particular female referee were in vain.
Source - chronicle
