PSL summons Highlanders FC for disciplinary hearing

PSL summon Bosso..as Barbourfields vilence draws condemnation

BULAWAYO giants Highlanders have been summoned to a disciplinary hearing by the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to answer to charges of bringing the game of football into disrepute following a crowd trouble at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday, leading to the abandonment of the tempestuous league match against old foes Dynamos.

The country’s primary football competition board issued a statement on Monday ordering Bosso to appear before a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday, May 23 next week.

The match was abandoned in after just 42 minutes of play, as Highlanders fans protested Dynamos’ equaliser scored by Cameroonian Christian Ntouba who cancelled out an earlier strike by Rahman Kutsanzira.

They charged that he was in an offside position when he scored the goal that had deflected off a Highlanders player.

The  statement from the PSL reads: “The Premier Soccer League has summoned Highlanders FC to appear before the PSL Disciplinary Committee following incidents of hooliganism that occurred at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday 14 May 2017 at a Castle Lager PSL match between Highlanders FC and Dynamos FC resulting in the abandonment of the match. Highlanders FC have been charged for breaching the Premier Soccer League Rules and Regulations.

In terms of order 31 of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Rules and Regulations; It is an Act of Misconduct on the part of the Club where; 31.1.13 Its supporters misbehave in any manner whatsoever, inside or outside a ground before, during or after a match, no matter on which ground the match is played.

Without derogating from the generality of what constitutes misbehaviours on the part of supporters, the following are specifically declared to be acts of misbehaviour:-

31.1.13.1 Invasion or attempted invasion of the field of play, save for the reasons of crowd safety.

31.1.13.2 Causing abandonment or attempting to cause the abandonment of a match

31.1.13.3 Throwing or attempting to throw missiles, bottled and other objects, whether potentially harmful or dangerous or not, on to the pitch, or at any person;

31.1.13.5 Acts of violence or attempted acts of violence against anyone at the game.”

The PSL said it does not condone acts of violence and hooliganism in football and urged club leaders to capacitate their security officials and educate their fans so as to eradicate violence from our football.

“We would like to apologise to all our stakeholders and fans for the unfortunate incident that happened at Barbourfields Stadium. We appeal to all football loving fans to desist from violence and assist in identifying the perpetrators of hooliganism,” reads part of the statement. –Sportbrief