Sports / Soccer
CAPS Utd face punitive measures over urine incidents
22 Apr 2014 at 07:03hrs | Views
THE Premier Soccer League have described the incident, where urine was poured on the Buffaloes goal and bench in a Premiership match at Gwanzura on Sunday, as an embarrassing act and promised punitive measures on the offenders.
The match, which was beamed live on Supersport 9, ended in a goalless draw.
PSL chief executive Kenny Ndebele yesterday said the episode was a bad advertisement of the game and challenged the players and supporters to uphold the true spirit of football.
Apparently, the majority of the football players and supporters in Zimbabwe believe urine has the power to neutralise juju and its use is common in the domestic Premiership.
CAPS United, though, have extra responsibility as club president, Twine Phiri, is also the chairman of the Premier Soccer League.
"That was very embarrassing especially when the match was being broadcast live on television," Ndebele said.
"Besides, there were families watching at the stadium and it looks like we keep on going backwards to the 1980s when we think we are developing.
"These are things we should not be talking about in this age. We will get a report from the match commissioner and punitive measures will be taken against those found guilty of this.
"It's a pity the board resolved to reduce fines for such offences. It's a pity these things happen every season especially at the beginning that we would wish we don't get that break.
"I don't believe it works. If it worked, for example yesterday (Sunday), I don't know how much litres of urine were used but none of the two teams scored a goal.
"It's only psychological. If it produced results then why would people waste their money buying new players and preparing for games if the urine or the sangoma could do it for them?"
Buffaloes coach Luke Masomere and his players could not take their seats when the second half resumed at Gwanzura on Sunday as he claimed the seats had been soiled by the CAPS United players.
The referee also had to remove a plastic bottle containing what looked like urine which was thrown at the visitors' goal area by unruly supporters who felt Buffaloes were using juju on their goal area to prevent CAPS United from scoring.
Ndebele said the area inside the field of play is reserved exclusively for the players and the technical people during play and if anything happens inside that area, when the game is in progress, the players and coaches are the ones who should be answerable.
"The same with the terraces where supporters are seated. The supporters and the club will be responsible for anything that happens there. It's the responsibility of the club to educate their supporters," said Ndebele.
"The league will act once they receive the reports from the referee and the match commissioner."
Buffaloes coach Luke Masomere was yesterday breathing fire over the incident and said such unruly behaviour should be condemned in the strongest terms.
"It's not all the people who come to the games who do those things but I have discovered that there are a lot of hooligans who are coming to our football matches to cause trouble," said Masomere.
"It's a pity that the majority of these people are still living in the past when we are now in 2014.
"You will find that some of the people who do those barbaric acts abuse drugs and some of them will be intoxicated with illicit brew like zed or kranko.
"Imagine about 20 litres of urine was poured on our dressing room door during the half-time break and to make matters worse this offence was perpetrated by women, who acted and behaved like ladies of the night.
"To tell the truth, I was even bitter with the behaviour of some players whom we all expect to be professionals. We cannot continue to drag the beautiful game of football back to the Stone Age.
"I have the names of the players who threw urine at our bench. Their behaviour was so barbaric and, in doing so, they thought and acted like idiots." Masomere said some players were putting their careers on the line by concentrating on juju rather than training.
"They didn't use their brains, as professionals. I feel pity for them and I urge them to stop it and concentrate on developing their careers as professional footballers if they hope to achieve big things in life," said Masomere.
"Times have moved and they should move on as well.
"This game was broadcast live in the region and there were people watching, some of them potential sponsors. Will those people take us seriously?
"Will we blame anyone if we don't get more sponsors coming on board?" said Masomere.
The match, which was beamed live on Supersport 9, ended in a goalless draw.
PSL chief executive Kenny Ndebele yesterday said the episode was a bad advertisement of the game and challenged the players and supporters to uphold the true spirit of football.
Apparently, the majority of the football players and supporters in Zimbabwe believe urine has the power to neutralise juju and its use is common in the domestic Premiership.
CAPS United, though, have extra responsibility as club president, Twine Phiri, is also the chairman of the Premier Soccer League.
"That was very embarrassing especially when the match was being broadcast live on television," Ndebele said.
"Besides, there were families watching at the stadium and it looks like we keep on going backwards to the 1980s when we think we are developing.
"These are things we should not be talking about in this age. We will get a report from the match commissioner and punitive measures will be taken against those found guilty of this.
"It's a pity the board resolved to reduce fines for such offences. It's a pity these things happen every season especially at the beginning that we would wish we don't get that break.
"I don't believe it works. If it worked, for example yesterday (Sunday), I don't know how much litres of urine were used but none of the two teams scored a goal.
"It's only psychological. If it produced results then why would people waste their money buying new players and preparing for games if the urine or the sangoma could do it for them?"
Buffaloes coach Luke Masomere and his players could not take their seats when the second half resumed at Gwanzura on Sunday as he claimed the seats had been soiled by the CAPS United players.
The referee also had to remove a plastic bottle containing what looked like urine which was thrown at the visitors' goal area by unruly supporters who felt Buffaloes were using juju on their goal area to prevent CAPS United from scoring.
Ndebele said the area inside the field of play is reserved exclusively for the players and the technical people during play and if anything happens inside that area, when the game is in progress, the players and coaches are the ones who should be answerable.
"The same with the terraces where supporters are seated. The supporters and the club will be responsible for anything that happens there. It's the responsibility of the club to educate their supporters," said Ndebele.
"The league will act once they receive the reports from the referee and the match commissioner."
Buffaloes coach Luke Masomere was yesterday breathing fire over the incident and said such unruly behaviour should be condemned in the strongest terms.
"It's not all the people who come to the games who do those things but I have discovered that there are a lot of hooligans who are coming to our football matches to cause trouble," said Masomere.
"It's a pity that the majority of these people are still living in the past when we are now in 2014.
"You will find that some of the people who do those barbaric acts abuse drugs and some of them will be intoxicated with illicit brew like zed or kranko.
"Imagine about 20 litres of urine was poured on our dressing room door during the half-time break and to make matters worse this offence was perpetrated by women, who acted and behaved like ladies of the night.
"To tell the truth, I was even bitter with the behaviour of some players whom we all expect to be professionals. We cannot continue to drag the beautiful game of football back to the Stone Age.
"I have the names of the players who threw urine at our bench. Their behaviour was so barbaric and, in doing so, they thought and acted like idiots." Masomere said some players were putting their careers on the line by concentrating on juju rather than training.
"They didn't use their brains, as professionals. I feel pity for them and I urge them to stop it and concentrate on developing their careers as professional footballers if they hope to achieve big things in life," said Masomere.
"Times have moved and they should move on as well.
"This game was broadcast live in the region and there were people watching, some of them potential sponsors. Will those people take us seriously?
"Will we blame anyone if we don't get more sponsors coming on board?" said Masomere.
Source - The Herald
