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Phillip Chiyangwa

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE Women Football League board member Cecilia Gambe faces suspension from the game as ZIFA takes stern measures to crack down on the hooligan element that has afflicted the game just seven weeks into the 2016 season.

ZIFA have also revealed that they are closely working with the Zimbabwe Republic Police to bring to book the unruly fans who were involved in the mayhem that enveloped Rufaro following Dynamos’ 1-0 defeat by FC Platinum last Sunday with a view to banning all the hooligans.

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The soccer mother body’s president, Philip Chiyangwa, yesterday issued a chilling warning to those bent on disturbing the game insisting that ZIFA would crack the whip.

Chiyangwa also revealed that his executive would sanction Gambe for her violent conduct against Rusape referee Brighton Chimene during a Premiership tie between Mutare City and How Mine at Sakubva.

The ZIFA president is not amused with the resurgence of the hooligan element in the domestic game and deplored Gambe’s behaviour, given her leadership position in women football where she is supposed to be exemplary.

This is also not the first time that Gambe’s behaviour has brought the game into disrepute with the Mutare-based administrator having embarrassed the association last year with her ranting at a function hosted for the Mighty Warriors by Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni at Town House.

During the reception hosted for the Mighty Warriors by the Mayor, Gambe dressed down senior Government officials accusing them of not assisting the women’s game and claiming they had only attended the reception to try and secure “free tickets’’ to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro .

In her latest act of misconduct Gambe led the pitch invasion violently protesting against a decision that had been taken against the home team by Chimene.

That pitch invasion has now attracted a PSL fine for Mutare City who were yesterday handed a $2 000 fine by the PSL for the behaviour by Gambe and other unruly fans. Chiyangwa, who has made it clear that he wants football to be clean said his executive would not brook any wayward behaviour that would dent the country’s flagship sport.

The ZIFA president did not mince his words too as he condemned the kind of mayhem witnessed at Rufaro which characterised the end of the clash between ailing giants Dynamos and FC Platinum.

Earlier during the match some Dynamos fans rained missiles onto the pitch and sang derogatory songs against the club’s beleaguered president Kenny Mubaiwa. Chiyangwa, just like Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane took great exception to violence at stadiums.

The Harare property mogul told his association’s website www.zifa.org.zw that ZIFA would invoke all the powers vested in them by the FIFA football statues to try and end hooliganism at local matches.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association would like to condemn in the strongest terms the unacceptable violent conduct exhibited by some unruly Dynamos supporters after their match against FC Platinum at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.

“The association is taking very stern measures. We are working with the police in identifying the culprits and as the football mother body we will invoke our powers as enshrined in the football statutes to ensure that such unsavoury elements are banned from all our football events.

“The beautiful game of football celebrates ethos of love, peace, co-existence, respect and fair play and we at ZIFA are committed to upholding these tenets.

“The despicable and barbaric behaviour demonstrated by these rogue elements bent on tarnishing the image of our game and our country at large has no place in the 21st century.

“Zimbabweans are by nature civil, we have a population that respects the rule of law and that knows the channels to follow when airing grievances and we cannot stand by and allow a few miscreants to spoil the environment at our stadia.

“Football matches should remain family outings that are peaceful and entertaining where those who would have lost should learn to gracefully accept defeat and those who would have won should not be overzealous in their celebrations,” said Chiyangwa.

The ZIFA president also encouraged clubs to educate their supporters on the dangers of hooliganism.

“ZIFA also encourages clubs and the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League to educate their supporters on the dangers of hooliganism. Violence of any nature scares away sponsors and fans; it further tarnishes the image of our game.

“We also encourage club marshals to work closely with police and other security details at matches to be proactive in identifying hooligans and sniffing them out as they also cost their teams through fines,” said Chiyangwa.

Chiyangwa said Gambe would soon be hauled before their disciplinary committee for her misconduct.

“The behaviour of Cecilia Gambe of invading the pitch is disappointing and unacceptable. Ms Gambe is a member of the ZIFA Assembly and we expect her to preserve the sacrosanct values of the game by respecting the referee’s decisions.

“The ZIFA Executive Committee has decided to take exemplary route and Cecilia Gambe will face disciplinary action,” said Chiyangwa. “We need order in our game and all individuals who are bent on bringing the beautiful game of football into disrepute will be severely punished,” said Chiyangwa. “Law 5 of the laws of the game states that “the decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of match, are final.” “Referees are the experts on the field of play and they should be allowed to carry out their duties without intimidation or a fear for their lives’’. With some local referees having either lost their lives or been injured because of unruly behaviour by fans, Chiyangwa is keen to ensure ZIFA do not wait for a disaster to happen before they act. The PSL are worried at the rate which clubs have had to be fined for the behaviour of their fans or staff. Yesterday, the league released a list of the offences and fines that have been incurred by clubs with DeMbare’s hooligans having cost the club $4 000 for missile throwing during their club’s matches against Chicken Inn at Barbourfelds on April 2 and in during the Harare derby clash against CAPS United at Rufaro on May 1.