Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Petros Kausiyo
19 November 2008
Harare — ZIFA have allayed fears that this weekend's CBZ FA Cup final and Premiership programmes will be disrupted by a referees' strike with the association pledging to resolve the grievances aired by the match officials centering on their security.
The CBZ FA Cup final between CAPS United and Eastern Lions and the various league programmes across the country had been thrown into serious doubt after the Zimbabwe Soccer Referees' Association gave notice of their intention to withdraw their services for alleged unfair treatment by the game.
But Zifa Referees' Committee chairman Gladmore Muzambi yesterday indicated that they would discuss the match officials' grievances with a view to resolving them and maintained that the referees were "an essential service" to the game and would not encourage them to down their tools to make their point.
The ZSRA are the welfare body of the referees but are affiliated to the ZRC, which is a key sub-committee of the Zifa structures.
However, the referees believe they have been subjected to a wave of criticism that has branded them corrupt and in the process put their lives at risk from local fans.
It is in view of alleged threats of attacks that their members have received that the referees' association on Monday resolved to boycott local matches in solidarity with their membership.
But Muzambi begged to differ yesterday and felt a boycott of the matches was not the solution
"Granted the referees received unfair criticism which in some cases has gone beyond their taking, but as the Zifa Referees' Committee, a senior standing committee of the association, we consider referees as an essential service in the entertainment industry and as such we do not encourage them to go on industrial action," Muzambi said.
The Zifa board member for finance also argued that industrial action by the referees, which would penalise the wrong constituency such as the players and coaches, was not the proper channel of resolving the problems afflicting their membership.
"Wherever there are grievances, they should channel them through the proper channels".
Muzambi also maintained that the league programmes, especially the Premiership fixtures would not be further dented by the referees' strike.
It also emerged that although the referees association had issued a public threat of a strike, they had not officially notified Zifa of their intentions as well as tabling their grievances.
"We know they (referees) will remain professionals and as such will not disrupt the league programme.
"We will talk to them over their letter as soon as it comes to us and resolve this issue to the best of our abilities."
Muzambi also issued a special plea to the referees to remain focussed on their job.
"Our referees should not react to criticisms of people who do not know the ABC of their profession, they should not be distracted by someone who does not know what a penalty is.
"They should instead remain focussed on their profession," said Muzambi.
The referees' threats will also not affect today's Premiership derby clash between Dynamos and Gunners at Rufaro, which will be handled by giant Chitungwiza official Tichaona Chapfika.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters' Association have urged referees to review their decision to withdrawal their services at the weekend.
ZNSSA leader Eddie "Mboma" Nyatanga said yesterday the withdrawal of services by referees would disrupt a season that was now reaching the end.
"The referees have handed us their petition and we acknowledge their problems because, to be fair, some of the treatment that we have given to the match officials is unfair.
"When you look at the responsibility that referees carry, the peanuts that they get and the abuse that comes from the terraces, you can understand their decision to withdraw their services.
"We have of late developed a culture of abusing referees at every turn and that is very wrong while some have even gone further and assaulted the match officials.
"In our discussions with referees, we have told them that we understand that they are human beings and they can make mistakes but because of the responsibility that they carry, they should try to make as few mistakes as possible.
"We have told them that they should be professional, to understand that football is an emotional game and they should live beyond criticism from fans, some of which is not fair at all.
"Our appeal to them is to consider sponsors, who have nothing to do with the problem between the fans and the referees, and that they should handle all the remaining games for the sake of football.
"We are confident that a solution will be found before the end of the season and we also appeal to our members, who are the fans, to give referees a little bit of respect.
"Njube Sundowns might not have been happy with the penalty awarded to Dynamos, but they did not cause the abandonment of the match and we expect that to also be the case the other way round," said Nyatanga.
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