Pay referees more, pleads Mumba

Pay referees more, pleads Mumba

MUMBA

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By Torby Chimhashu

MOTOR ACTION coach Keagan Mumba wants the Premier Soccer League to urgently review referees' match fees to tackle corruption in the game.

Mumba also wants to see corporate sponsorship of referees to shield referees from corrupt tendencies.

Mumba, a former Zambian journalist and an experienced coach who has coached in almost six Sadc countries, says he has no kind words for those who fail to sponsor the match officials.

"Instead of having a Charity Shield why can't we have Nestle or any corporate entity sponsor referees? We need this to reduce the scourge of match fixing by referees. They need to be autonomous," Mumba said in an exclusive interview with New Zimbabwe.com Tuesday.

The nomadic coach said the current system where referees are paid their match fees by the home team exposed the match officials to corrupt practices, he argued.

"In the English Premiership you have referees who are sponsored by Emirates. In cricket it's the same - Emirates sponsor umpires. English referees don't think twice about making key decisions, even against home teams.

"It is the same if a Wigan player is fouled in the box at the Emirates Stadium, the referee does not look at Arsenal, he simply awards a penalty. A referee is a winner, he does not know a loss," charged Mumba.

The outspoken Mighty Bulls chief said it was rather disheartening to find a sponsor putting money towards rewarding a coach yet for him to be rewarded he needs good officiating.

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Said Mumba: "Coaches must be recognised but acknowledgment is enough. In any case, it is the players who play football not coaches. The money for coach of the year should be given to referees.

"We need a system where referees are paid their allowances monthly through an identified sponsor. That way we can surely reduce match fixing. Some of the decisions by referees make you lose your temper on the bench.

"These guys are hungry. They need support. As long as we continue to reward clubs only, problems of bad officiating will remain with us."

The Zimbabwean Premier Soccer League, which failed to attract sponsorship in 2006 before CBZ Bank came on board last week, has a history of match-fixing problems.

In 2005, most clubs complained of bad officiating at Mucheke Stadium in matches involving Masvingo United. Most of the club's games were either won through disputed penalties or visiting teams had a player inexplicably sent off.

Masvingo United were running neck and neck with CAPS United for the league title before they finally fizzled out on the final day of the league, going down 1-2 to despite Dembare having to play with 10 man in the second half.

In one incident, Motor Action officials were involved in a bust up with referee Ronald Mwanjira at Sakubva Stadium, Mutare, when he twice awarded Masvingo United two penalties inside the last 10 minutes after they had fluffed another one in the first half.

Motor Action were leading 2-1 but the match had to be abandoned.

The Zimbabwe Referees Association threatened to withdraw its officials from games involving Motor Action after Mwanjira alleged that Mighty Bulls owner Eric Rosen had racially abused him by calling the referee a "black baboon".

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