'Herald should retract this picture, apologise to Highlanders'

This article was originally posting on Facebook by Former ZBC presenter Ezra Tshisa Sibanda.

Stop using Highlanders name in your violent actions! Not in Bosso name! The ugly scenes at Barbourfields stadium just after Highlanders-Chicken Inn game are deeply disturbing and should be condemned with utmost force. The scenes from Emagumeni are regrettable but isolated example of a culture that the football community has worked tirelessly to eradicate from our game. It is extremely disappointing that the mindless actions of a tiny minority masquerading as Bosso fans have deflected from the passion and dedication that thousands of genuine football fans show every week for our national game. The idiots should stop using Highlanders name in their acts of barbarism. Not in Highlanders name, STOP IT.

Whats more astonishing is irresponsible journalism by a Herald Sports reporter who reported on the match he didn't attend. Herald has been a leader in sports news in Zim under the leadership of my good friend Robson Sharuko. The Robson Sharuko I know wouldn't have let that fake picture of a Kenyan referee without authentication and use it as if it's from the Bosso game. I doubt Sharuko was at work on Sunday. For a Herald reporter to download an old photo from internet and then publish it on a national paper to lie that it was taken from BF just to mislead the entire world into believing it was Bosso fan manhandling the referee is not only sickening but insulting to journalism. It's either the reporter hates Bosso, just wanted to exaggerate to put across his stupid point or has a sinister agenda to destroy the club. I find that scandalous!

We should bear in mind that, in general, it is the object of our news-papers these days rather to create a sensation, to make a point, than to further the cause of truth. I believe Herald's sister paper, the Chronicle as per the norm submitted their match report but the guy on duty at the Herald decided to add a picture which he stole from internet to go with the story, simple to soil Bosso's name. The most common falsehood told by journalists is a falsehood of omission. A critical fact is left out of the story and the reader subconsciously fills in the details from their imagination which gives the story a whole new and false meaning. A similar item is taking things out of context and Herald did just that. Herald Newspaper should retract the picture, apologise to Highlanders Football Club, its supporters, Herald readers and football fans. That's the right thing to do otherwise no one will ever believe Herald Sports Stories.

I understand a number of Bosso ‘fans' have been arrested for violent disorder as police wade in to stop the trouble that flared up last Sunday's game. It's very difficult for me to call them Bosso fans, they don't belong to Highlanders family, and these are simple thugs who attend Bosso matches to vest their anger about social, political & economic situation using our football. No sane Bosso fan would throw missiles, fight or invade the pitch when it's not a secret that the club gets fined heavily every time that happens. It's only heartless idiots with no love for Bosso that don't care about the club they claim to love committing such barbarism. These sickos should channel their frustration to those who have caused the country's decay and have led, presided over and bred the culture of corruption and leave Bosso out of it. My club is swimming in debts and it can't afford to part with a dollar especially to pay for the sickening behaviour of thugs. Truth be told the skirmishes or violence was not about Bosso/Gamecocks rivalry, it was about something else which has nothing to do with football and that's needs to be investigated.

Police in riot gear and accompanied by dogs are deployed in every game featuring either Bosso or DeMbare and get paid by clubs for keeping ‘'peace''. But is there any peace in football games in Zim? There are reports that fans complain that the "heavy-handed" police approach escalated the situation at BF. It came soon after arresting the hooligan who threw a missile, they beat him up and set dogs on him which triggered the mayhem. The officers should not beat or set dogs on anyone especially when the person is in their custody but take the person away for questioning.

The Police and clubs need to work together to establish the facts surrounding Sunday's events. We expect all culprits to be banned from football for life, they have no place in our game. We have to understand exactly what measures were put in place on Sunday and for future games. I'm not going to condemn Highlanders or Chicken Inn football clubs for any of their actions, they can do so much to make the game safe but have no powers to control thugs. And we know there have been huge efforts on the parts of all our clubs to try to eradicate the problems and we have had a history of success on that.

However, we have to make sure that the individuals concerned face such tough actions that they can't go to football again. We all want a big atmosphere at matches, that's part of football, part of the passion. However, we also want Zifa and PSL to make sure it's a safe environment to watch games. They need to create a good relationship between Clubs, law enforcement and the communities they serve. Hooliganism in Zim football can be eradicated easily just by getting all parties concerned to work together. Respect is the key! It is true that we should respect ourselves as moral agents, we must regard ourselves as responsible for our wrongs. In fact, to the extent that morality is overriding importance in our lives, our past record of moral performance may well constitute the most significant component of our personal identity. Promote spirit of friendliness, after all this a sport, just a game, a beautiful game!