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Ray Bande in Mutare and Grace Chingoma in Harare
WARRIORS legend and Soccer Coaches Union of Zimbabwe chairman Moses Chunga has added his voice to the chorus of condemnation against the violence that rocked the Bob 91 Super Cup elimination match between Highlanders and CAPS United at Barbourfields last Sunday and wants Bosso penalised heavily for the mayhem.

Zifa have since threatened severe sanctions on unruly supporters following ugly scenes that tainted the game which CAPS United won 2-1, but history is littered with examples of paltry fines imposed on clubs, players and fans guilty of perpetrating violence during matches.

CAPS United goalkeeper Victor Twaliki was one of the victims of the missile-throwing crowds and the referee had to enforce a 12-minute stoppage as CAPS United coach Mark Harrison ordered his boys off the pitch.

Chunga told our Mutare Bureau yesterday that he was deeply concerned that violence continues to rear its ugly head in football “simply because the authorities are failing to nip it in the bud by imposing heavy punishments on perpetrators’’.

The coaches union chairman lamented on the increase of violence during and after soccer matches at the same venue over a period of time.

“I think we have seen it in recent years that authorities are failing to nip violence in the bud by imposing heavy punishments on perpetrators.

There should be heavy penalties for that. Soccer is a game we need to enjoy with our families.

“Even if it means banning concerned clubs and individuals for a long time so be it so that we set the record straight that violence has no place in our football.

“Players that make provocative celebrations after scoring must also face the music. When we were players we had respect for fans and we would never provoke supporters. Even in our celebrations we would never try to provoke the crowd.

“In fact, after a match in Bulawayo we would sleep there and share drinks with the likes of Madinda Ndlovu, the late Mercedes Sibanda and many others.

“These days it is a crime for a Dynamos or CAPS player to be mingling with Highlanders folks after a match. That is not the essence of football at all,” said Chunga.

Chunga blamed the recurrent violent scenes at Barbourfields on “tribalistic administrators who will always defend violent hooligans for tribal reasons’’ and alleged that Bosso chief executive Ndumiso Gumede and former ZIFA board member Benedict Moyo were guilty of fanning tribalism in football.

“This is what we are getting for creating a tribal divide in our football. Even if one looks at the set up of the Warriors technical department, on many occasions there is an unwritten law that if the head coach comes from Harare the assistant must come from Bulawayo. Why? Are these the only places that can give us good coaches for our national team?

“The problem is that we have people like Ndumiso Gumede and Benedict Moyo who are always pushing tribal agendas in our football. During our time as players, the national team had players from all over be it Hwange, Rio Tinto, Mutare and so on. Even if a team like Highlanders provided four players it would be on merit and not what we are witnessing these days,” Chunga said.

As debate on the crowd trouble at Barbourfields raged, in Harare organisers of the competition undertook to cater for the medical expenses incurred by a CAPS United fan Tawedzerwa Moyo who was injured during the skirmishes.

The 39-year-old fan sustained injuries and was admitted at Mater Dei hospital.

Spokesman for organisers Charles Mabika said the committee came to the rescue of the CAPS United supporter who is based in Bulawayo.

“We have decided as the organising committee to take care of his hospital bills. If he is fit to travel to the capital this weekend, we want him to travel to Harare together with his wife and watch the final seated in the VVIP tribune.

“We have been making the arrangements through the CAPS United Supporters association and would want to present Moyo with the money to help him recover fully,” he said.

Mabika said they have engaged the police ahead of the Sunday’s match at Rufaro which was confirmed yesterday as the venue.

“The 21st February Movement will also help and fully engage Zimbabwe Republic Police. We have also engaged both clubs and they are helping in spreading the gospel of no violence.

“This will go a long way in making sure we have a peaceful fun-filled Cup,” said Mabika.

CAPS United, whose reserve side battled before losing to Malawi’s Big Bullets away yesterday have struck good form in the build up to the 2015 season and are now among the firm favourites for the championship that has eluded them since 2005.

But CAPS United’s expatriate coach Mark Harrison and his men would have to once again overcome their “Real Enemy” Dynamos in order to bag their second piece of silverware inside a month.

Mabika also said fans would have to fork out US$3 for the rest of the ground while the West End is going for US$5. Fans wishing to sit in the VIP section would have to part with US$10.