Sports / Soccer
Dembare, PSL in meeting to avert disaster
03 Dec 2015 at 05:20hrs | Views
DYNAMOS have scheduled a meeting today with the Premier Soccer League leadership to find ways to avert disaster after the Harare giants threatened to pull out of this weekend's NetOne Easycall Cup in protest over alleged heavy-handed treatment.
Dynamos secretary-general, Webster Chikengezha, yesterday said they have sought audience with Twine Phiri following the four-match bans and fines imposed on strikers Takesure Chinyama and Rodreck Mutuma.
The forwards were found guilty of violent conduct in the Chibuku Super Cup final against Harare City at the National Sports Stadium in October by the PSL Disciplinary Committee chaired by Vusi Vuma.
According to the charge sheet, the duo are said to have "charged" at the referee Philani Ncube, after losing the final to Harare City 2-1, threatening violence and had to be restrained by the police.
They were subsequently fined US$1,500 each and banned from participating in four matches officially sanctioned by the PSL beginning with the NetOne Easycall Cup semi-final clash against Highlanders this weekend.
Dembare, however, have threatened not to take part in the tournament unless they get satisfactory explanations from Phiri.
He said the judgment was calculated to disqualify their players from the Soccer Star awards and also to weaken their team ahead of the Easycall Cup semi-final.
Chikengezha argued that the penalties were too harsh and pointed out that there was selective application of the law as players from other clubs such as How Mine and Highlanders had been involved in similar incidents and no action was taken.
"We're meeting the PSL chairman tomorrow. Hopefully they'll understand our position, but if we don't agree we'll proceed with our course of action. The PSL should treat all teams the same," said Chikengezha.
PSL chief executive Kenny Ndebele yesterday said he had no power to question the outcome of the disciplinary hearing.
Ndebele said there are channels that a club could make use of if they are not satisfied with the outcomes of the Disciplinary Committee and hinted that Dynamos should lodge an appeal.
He said the league is committed to creating a level playing field for all teams.
"I can't comment on the judgment made by the Disciplinary Committee. It's an independent body that sits for those issues and if a club has a query they can appeal or write a protest letter to the chairman or the board.
"Probably I can only explain the process taken in such cases. One thing I would want to make clear is that we're guided by the reports from the match officials.
"If the referees don't state an incident in their report and the other team doesn't write a complaint, we wouldn't have that basis for disciplinary proceedings.
"So the referee's report is very important. However, the rules state that if any team feels aggrieved they've the right to write to the chairman or the board," said Ndebele.
Dynamos were paired with traditional rivals Highlanders in the semi-finals of the Easycall Cup following a slender 1-0 win over How Mine.
The build-up to the big game, however, has run into trouble after the Glamour Boys wrote their official letter of complaint to the PSL yesterday.
Chikengezha said they could not lodge an appeal as the fees are even more prohibitive.
"How can we appeal when the appeal fees are even higher than the fines themselves? You would need to fork out more if you want to appeal. That's exactly what we're talking about - the appeal fees are too prohibitive. You need US$3,000 to make an appeal," said Chikengezha.
The club's executive met yesterday afternoon to discuss the developments and their president, Kenny Mubaiwa, charged that the leadership felt there could be a plot against their team.
He said fines imposed on clubs by the PSL are too high and the league needs to sit down and review the penalty structure.
He said Dembare have lost over $20,000 in fines this year alone. The Glamour Boys topped the fines list last year and also had $64,000 deducted from their prize money for winning the league in 2013.
"We then question the role and motives of this committee.
"It seems these people are out to plot against Dynamos because every time we play in a tournament we run into problems. Last year we played in the Chibuku Super Cup and we didn't receive a cent from our share of US$15,000 after we fell in the first round.
"All the money went towards fines. This year, instead of getting $50,000 after reaching the final of the same tournament we received $45,000, again because of the fines," said Mubaiwa.
"Fines being imposed by the Disciplinary Committee are even higher compared to those at the criminal courts where people are penalised less for even dangerous crimes.
"Recently one of our players, Stephen Alimenda, was ordered to pay US$5,000 in fines and hearing costs yet convicted criminals at the magistrates' courts are being fined $100 or so.
"You would wonder where this committee is getting these figures, considering the economic environment we're operating in. It's ridiculous and I must say we aren't happy with this committee, which we feel is only there to milk clubs. This is how Motor Action died. Maybe they want the same for Dynamos.
"The problem is that the people in charge at PSL have their teams and we're strong rivals. I think that's the reason why all the decisions go against Dynamos even when we don't deserve."
Dynamos secretary-general, Webster Chikengezha, yesterday said they have sought audience with Twine Phiri following the four-match bans and fines imposed on strikers Takesure Chinyama and Rodreck Mutuma.
The forwards were found guilty of violent conduct in the Chibuku Super Cup final against Harare City at the National Sports Stadium in October by the PSL Disciplinary Committee chaired by Vusi Vuma.
According to the charge sheet, the duo are said to have "charged" at the referee Philani Ncube, after losing the final to Harare City 2-1, threatening violence and had to be restrained by the police.
They were subsequently fined US$1,500 each and banned from participating in four matches officially sanctioned by the PSL beginning with the NetOne Easycall Cup semi-final clash against Highlanders this weekend.
Dembare, however, have threatened not to take part in the tournament unless they get satisfactory explanations from Phiri.
He said the judgment was calculated to disqualify their players from the Soccer Star awards and also to weaken their team ahead of the Easycall Cup semi-final.
Chikengezha argued that the penalties were too harsh and pointed out that there was selective application of the law as players from other clubs such as How Mine and Highlanders had been involved in similar incidents and no action was taken.
"We're meeting the PSL chairman tomorrow. Hopefully they'll understand our position, but if we don't agree we'll proceed with our course of action. The PSL should treat all teams the same," said Chikengezha.
PSL chief executive Kenny Ndebele yesterday said he had no power to question the outcome of the disciplinary hearing.
Ndebele said there are channels that a club could make use of if they are not satisfied with the outcomes of the Disciplinary Committee and hinted that Dynamos should lodge an appeal.
He said the league is committed to creating a level playing field for all teams.
"I can't comment on the judgment made by the Disciplinary Committee. It's an independent body that sits for those issues and if a club has a query they can appeal or write a protest letter to the chairman or the board.
"Probably I can only explain the process taken in such cases. One thing I would want to make clear is that we're guided by the reports from the match officials.
"If the referees don't state an incident in their report and the other team doesn't write a complaint, we wouldn't have that basis for disciplinary proceedings.
"So the referee's report is very important. However, the rules state that if any team feels aggrieved they've the right to write to the chairman or the board," said Ndebele.
Dynamos were paired with traditional rivals Highlanders in the semi-finals of the Easycall Cup following a slender 1-0 win over How Mine.
The build-up to the big game, however, has run into trouble after the Glamour Boys wrote their official letter of complaint to the PSL yesterday.
Chikengezha said they could not lodge an appeal as the fees are even more prohibitive.
"How can we appeal when the appeal fees are even higher than the fines themselves? You would need to fork out more if you want to appeal. That's exactly what we're talking about - the appeal fees are too prohibitive. You need US$3,000 to make an appeal," said Chikengezha.
The club's executive met yesterday afternoon to discuss the developments and their president, Kenny Mubaiwa, charged that the leadership felt there could be a plot against their team.
He said fines imposed on clubs by the PSL are too high and the league needs to sit down and review the penalty structure.
He said Dembare have lost over $20,000 in fines this year alone. The Glamour Boys topped the fines list last year and also had $64,000 deducted from their prize money for winning the league in 2013.
"We then question the role and motives of this committee.
"It seems these people are out to plot against Dynamos because every time we play in a tournament we run into problems. Last year we played in the Chibuku Super Cup and we didn't receive a cent from our share of US$15,000 after we fell in the first round.
"All the money went towards fines. This year, instead of getting $50,000 after reaching the final of the same tournament we received $45,000, again because of the fines," said Mubaiwa.
"Fines being imposed by the Disciplinary Committee are even higher compared to those at the criminal courts where people are penalised less for even dangerous crimes.
"Recently one of our players, Stephen Alimenda, was ordered to pay US$5,000 in fines and hearing costs yet convicted criminals at the magistrates' courts are being fined $100 or so.
"You would wonder where this committee is getting these figures, considering the economic environment we're operating in. It's ridiculous and I must say we aren't happy with this committee, which we feel is only there to milk clubs. This is how Motor Action died. Maybe they want the same for Dynamos.
"The problem is that the people in charge at PSL have their teams and we're strong rivals. I think that's the reason why all the decisions go against Dynamos even when we don't deserve."
Source - chronicle
