Zifa condemns hooliganism in football

Zim Now Writer

The Zimbabwe Football Association has condemned violence at football venues.

This follows the crowd trouble that led to the abandonment of the Dynamos-Highlanders match at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association noted with grave concern, the crowd trouble that led to the abandonment of the high-profile league match between Dynamos and Highlanders on 10th September 2023,” Zifa said in a statement today.

The country’s football mother body added: “We encourage all concerned stakeholders to act responsibly in order to preserve the value of fair play and camaraderie in our game. Supporters, players and officials should act in ways that promote the development of Zimbabwean football.”

The Football Association applauded the police for arresting the suspected hooligans.

“The association is grateful to the Zimbabwe Republic Police for apprehending suspected perpetrators of the hooliganism at Barbourfields Stadium. It is our sincere hope that criminals found guilty of the disorderly conduct will face the full wrath of the law. Further, we will push for further enforcement of length stadium bans for anyone causing trouble at the stadiums.

“Football is a team sport, and supporters should also play their part to keep the game civilised. As a commercial sport, football needs order so that sponsors can feel proud to associate their brands with it. That becomes extremely difficult if barbaric acts of pitch invasion and violence are a part of our game,” said Zifa.

Zifa also said the association will continue engaging all concerned stakeholders in an effort to come up with fool-proof solutions to the eternal challenge of hooliganism, adding: “The association is also concerned by the offensive songs and chants peculiar to our football.

“Going forward, the association is lobbying for an Exclusive Focus Group to crackdown on the offensive songs and tribal or racial chants which include offensive gestures and displaying of offensive messages which cause feelings of discomfort and discrimination to rival supporters.”

Zifa encouraged stakeholders to increase education and awareness campaigns to enlighten supporters on the ills of violence at football matches.

“Violence tarnishes the image of the game and it isolates football from the corporate sector which is vital to the realisation of the full commercialisation of football in Zimbabwe,” Zifa said.