Zimbabweans across the football divide have come out guns blazing and are united in their condemnation of Zifa president, Philip Chiyangwa’s unilateral decision to rescind Christian Epoupa Ntouba’s red card on Monday.
Social media platforms are awash with messages of disgust at what many view as the bottom end of Chiyangwa’s reign. Many have also questioned the rationality of this and other decisions the Zifa president has made in the past and are now worried about the future of the game, if there is a future at all.
Ephraim Rocky Chawanda: I am not posting this comment of the red card withdrawal by Zifa on my football page because it’s no longer football. My opinion on this matter is that this rescinding of this red card is meant to bring chaos and disruption to the ZPSL . . . maybe some elements still aim to recreate a Super League which will be run by Zifa, whose aim would be to save the financially crippled organisation.
Sindiso Mazibisa: Zimbabwean football has gone to the dogs and the dogs don’t want it.
Tendai Biti: What do yuh expect from a captured charlatan whose medulla is located in his large intestine.
Mike Madoda: Just when u thought Zimbabwean football couldn’t sink any lower . . . that’s what happens when the game has been hijacked by politicians
Mzwiwane Morgen Mhlope: I always pray and wish that soccer unites us. But the reality stares us in our faces, we are invoked and provoked by unfair and selfish individuals, who continuously urinate at our love for soccer with bad administration and decision making. They are trying hard to plant hatred, eish.
Trying very hard not to be angry.
Dalubuhle: Total rubbish!!!
Khulu: This scenario will have far reaching consequences, the league will be decided in the boardroom as teams in the race will take to PSL for use of a suspended player as this decision is surely going to be contested, Dynamos are better advised to ignore this shocker and avoid using the player if they are professional, the Minister responsible simply has to intervene as was the case with Cuthbert. Who said the referee’s decision is final? Our soccer gone to the dogs. Pamberi ne command soccer, pasi ne my game is fair.
Ezra Tshisa Sibanda: Football Scandal of the highest magnitude, Zifa paralysed by vested interests in rescinding headbutt offence by DeMbare player. Shocking, embarrassing and absolutely pathetic for Chiyangwa to do such a thing especially 24 hours after the game. Even in professional league like the English Premier league, it has never happened that a decision is made within 24 hours after the game. FA and referees don’t sit and make a decision about a game played previous day. This is no longer football, it’s now clear, it’s a football war.
This is no longer in the spirit of football but it’s in the spirit of chaos and hate. Chiyangwa’s decision is reckless and endangering the beautiful game big time. It’s very clear now that Zifa decision making structures are arcane and convulated, they lack clarity about the role and purpose of those structures.
Zero consistency, zero leadership & zero organisational skills when it comes to domestic football. Zifa didn’t act on the referee of the abandoned game between same teams Highlanders and Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium.
So many games have been affected by the association’s shambolic referees. The clueless creatures masquerading as referees taking charge of our games in Zim continue to destroy our football and these clowns at Zifa never act. The referee’s report hasn’t even reached PSL offices and Chiyangwa just acts and makes a decision which surprised Dynamos Club, the player concerned and DeMbare fans. The world is shocked Chiyangwa!
Why act on Dynamos only, just because it’s your team PC? You have done well with national teams and now you come and make lame decisions about domestic football. Don’t bring mess to football, DeMbare is your love but be professional and run the game the way it should. Don’t abuse your authority and make misinformed decisions just to show off your power. Your Zifa should now act on all other previous games your referees messed up. Also order a replay of Bosso-DeMbare game which was abandoned to show you are a fair leader.
The effect of this decision by Zifa is compounded by the stakeholders who collectively exhibit vested interests, intransigence and short-termism at every turn. Zifa has shown resistance and thrive on gridlock decision making ability within its leadership due to the lack of an independent, external perspective, check or balances. They are law unto themselves. Finally all premier league teams should be united and refuse to play their games till Zifa reverses this shocking decision.
Nodumo Nyathi: Did Chiyangwa and his cabal see that there was noise trouble at Rufaro? All they thought of was to make sure Epoupa plays next Dynamos game . . . Makaruse was hacked down and given yellow card instead of penalty to Bosso . . . all this Chiyangwa and cabal didn’t see and it’s not an issue only reverse Dynamos red card was the issue . . . this is all designed to push Bosso out of the PSL and have Chiyangwa forming a Zifa league . . . lapha kufuna amadoda sibili . . . am willing to sacrifice all I have for Highlanders FC right now…
Francis Mukora: He (referee) made three potentially game changing decisions . . . 1. An offside Dynamos goal which should not have stood. 2. A slap on the Dynamos player which could potentially have been a sent off and 3. A blatant penalty and yellow card for the Dynamos defender which I don’t understand why it ended up with a yellow card for the Bosso player who was fouled. But all these pale into insignificance compared to what Chiyangwa and company did.
Honestly firstly how do you rescind the sending off for a clear headbutt and secondly who appealed and thirdly, the speed with which the issue was handled lol, less than 24hrs… even the most advanced European governing bodies are not that efficient…. and let’s not forget the Mushure foul that was awarded a freekick that led to Dynamos second goal against Caps a week earlier. Surely they should just give the trophy to Dynamos