10-year ban for Ntabazinduna coach over ref assault

ZIMBABWE Football Association Southern Region side Ntabazinduna’s coach, Rangarirai Nyoni has been handed a 10-year ban from football for his role in the assault of referee, Saidi Phiri after a Division One league match against Talen Vision last year.

Three players from the side, James Nyoni, Eddington Ndava and Garikayi Chikuvanyanga were handed one year bans for their involvement in the assault while the club was fined $800 with $300 suspended on condition they do not commit a similar offence during the 2017 season.

Ntabazinduna players and officials threateningly charged at Phiri in protest against his decision to expel their goalkeeper, George Zuze for dissent towards the end of the first half in the 2-1 loss against Talen Vision at White City Stadium on 5 November 5, 2016.

According to a judgement handed out by the South Region Disciplinary Committee a fortnight ago, Ntabazinduna should pay the effective fine on or before the first day of registration for the 2017 season and would not be allowed to register any players for this season without paying the fine.

Two other players who had also been charged with bringing the game of football into disrepute, violent conduct and assaulting the referee, Dickson Phiri and Nomandla Moyo were acquitted of the charges.

According to the judgement the accused were nailed by video evidence which was played during the hearing that showed Rangarirai Nyoni, Ndava, Chikuvanyanga and James Nyoni while Dickson Phiri and Moyo did not appear in the video.

The hearing was initially held on 30 November 2016 before being deferred to 7 December 2016 to allow the accused time to peruse all papers relating to the charges they were facing.

Part of the judgement reads: “The uncontestable evidence of the video footage incriminated all but accused three and five who clearly were not part of the group that assaulted the referee. In view of the evidence from the video footage the committee was left in no doubt that those that took part in the assault were guilty as alleged”.

The committee said it was disturbed by the degree of insolence displayed by the accused, particularly Nyoni who is a club official adding “for a member of the disciplined forces to appear flagrantly violating the law cannot be condoned for whatever reason”.

Last year witnessed several incidents of violence in the Southern Region Division One with Victoria Falls Tigers’ defender Lethukuthula Mathe also being slapped with a 10-year football ban for assaulting referee Bekezela Makeka in a Division One League match against Amagagasi in September.

However, half of Mathe’s sentence was suspended on condition he does not commit a similar offence should he return to action after serving his punishment.

The Zifa Southern Region disciplinary committee consists of chairman, Godwin Sengweni, secretary Shepherd Chamunorwa and committee member Stanley Ntenezi.