By: Kudakwashe Kutinyo
Football coaches and analysts have stressed out their concerns over the recent poor officiating by match day referees across the country's lower and upper leagues.
Different opinions have been raised citing that it might be the issue of inexperience, bribe storms and fear of the home supporters which have led to bias officiating.
One of the soccer analysts who preferred to remain anonymous highlighted how the mother board is lagging behind and also the unfair selection of referees to officiate in big leagues.
" The truth is to be said our football is lagging behind in everything from administration to the stadiums, our referee standards are way backward there are no proper refresh courses for example no spray for fouls, No walkie talkie for the Referees, Before we even talk of VAR", he said.
"Then there will be a lot of manipulation of the referees by football teams but others are genuine mistakes but all this comes at once it's a Gango scenario, you know how the Referee's Board is under fire for abuse of female referees and the also promoting undeserving referees",he added.
In the topflight league Platinum FC coach Norman Mapeza blamed the referee for poor officiating and threatened to quit the game of football if this was to continue.
Highlanders coach Brito also slammed the match day officials for their recent draws against Simba Bhora and Sheasham claiming that they are playing against the system. He later apologized for his comments.
Elsewhere in the ZIFA Eastern Region Division one a new well financed team Wangu Mazodze FC was recently accused by other teams for bribing referees to influence positive results in their fixtures.
Very few issues have been reported in the Southern region after it emerged that a match day official had awarded a dubious penalty to ZPC HWANGE in a match against CIWU.
One of the football coach who also preferred to remain anonymous suggested that the local referees receive mentorship from foreign retired referees and also explained that some mistakes are not intensional but it's a normal human mistake.
"A referee is a human like any other being who makes as well at the end of the day some mistakes lead t question marks weather it was intensional or not.
Basically I think we need to patient with some of the referees others are still adjusting to the return of football others are new".
"There is need for assistance from retired overseas referees to equip current local referees with deeper knowledge of football laws and regulations".
©BANO
