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The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) Referees Committee has announced that its members will no longer officiate any Northern Zone A-League matches involving former Premier League side Black Rhinos.
The decision follows an incident at the Mhangura Stadium on June 16, when referee Pride Benhura was attacked by members of the Black Rhinos technical team after awarding a penalty to CC Lee Mhangura.
The altercation occurred after Benhura decided to award Mhangula a penalty, which led to an immediate and furious reaction from the Black Rhinos, who felt the penalty was unfair. In response, ZIFA expressed their stance in a letter to the Northern Region A League administration, which said: “We wish to inform you that the Referees Committee has decided to withdraw their services from all matches played by the Black Rhinos Football Club. This decision applies to both home and away matches.”
The incident is part of Zimbabwe’s referee safety problem. In April, a Premier League match between FC Platinum and CAPS United was abandoned after fans entered the pitch to protest against the referee’s decision. A similar incident occurred in a match between Chegutu Pirates and Dynamos in the same month.
The Umpires Committee issued an ultimatum to the Northern Region A-League management to take concrete steps to ensure the safety of referees in any match involving the Black Rhinos. The letter further reads: “To ensure the safety of match referees, we insist on specific measures being taken before, during and after matches involving the Black Rhinos. Until these measures are implemented, the withdrawal of referee services will remain in effect.”
The Zimbabwe Football Association Referees Committee’s firm stance highlights the urgent need to strengthen safety protocols to protect referees and maintain the integrity of the sport in Zimbabwe.
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