Grace Chingoma Harare Bureau
IT APPEARS Chapungu football club has landed themselves in hot soup over remarks made by their assistant coach Clement Mugari with the Premier Soccer League yesterday indicating that they are going to ask the club to furnish the league with evidence of bribery by FC Platinum, failure to that earning them a disciplinary hearing.
On Saturday, Chapungu’s assistant coach, Mugari, accused FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza of “buying referees” to sway matches in their favour after FC Platinum midfielder Winstone Mhango converted a penalty in the 86th minute to beat the visiting Gweru side at Mandava.
The former Black Rhinos and Chapungu midfielder Mugari, charged towards Mapeza after the final whistle and accused him of bribing referees as he felt the penalty awarded by Ruzive Ruzive was not justified.
The referee adjudged that Chapungu defender William Ngonya had fouled Marshall Mudehwe who was charging towards goal and awarded the spot-kick. But Chapungu’s technical team was having none of it as head coach John Nyikadzino in his post-match interview also implied that they lost due some other forces.
“As for the result I think it’s a case of us losing due to circumstances we can’t control,” said Nyikadzino.
Yesterday Premier Soccer League chief executive Kennedy Ndebele said they want the club to substantiate their claims with evidence and failure to do that will prompt a disciplinary hearing over utterances which bring the game of football into disrepute.
“We’re writing to Chapungu to provide us with proof or evidence of the bribery and hopefully they will do that. If they fail to provide that proof, they will be summoned and we will call them for a disciplinary hearing. The rules and regulations are clear and you can’t make accusations unless you’ve evidence.
“Their evidence should conform to his statement on how the referee was bribed and how much money exchanged hands and where,” said Ndebele. Chapungu yesterday told our sister paper H-Metro that they were going to file for an official complaint to PSL over the manner in which their match was handled.
Ndebele said he was yet to see that letter. “I haven’t seen the report and if they are writing with evidence we will then take it from there but if they’re writing to us without evidence they should provide us with evidence,” said Ndebele.
It seems the Platinum boys perfect start in the league has already unsettled some of their opponents. Mapeza charges have three victories in as many games. The Zvishavane-based side won 2-1 against Tsholotsho and Highlanders in the opening fixtures before posting the latest victory on Saturday.
They also beat Dynamos 2-0 in the Independence Cup third and fourth place match.