Divided loyalties: CAPS United face fine after fan...

Divided loyalties: CAPS United face fine after fan outburst

Philemon Jambaya

ASSISTANT EDITOR

A recent Caps United FC match ended in chaos, with a fan invasion forcing its abandonment. Now, the club faces a hefty fine, placing PSL chairman and CAPS United president, Farai Jere at the centre of a difficult situation.

“We have brought the game of football into disrepute,” he admitted, his voice laced with disappointment.

“The club we dearly love is going to be fined heavily because it’s very clear what the statutes say. We know even before we go for a hearing that it’s a serious offence.”

This statement highlights the conflicting loyalties he wears as leader of both the league and the specific team. The fine will undoubtedly impact CAPS United, but upholding league regulations is critical.

Beyond the financial implications, the chairman expressed his disapproval of the fan behaviour. “I am not happy with the videos that I am seeing of the fans going after the referees,” he declared. “We don’t condone any acts of violence in our football.” This firm stance sends a clear message that unruly behaviour won’t be tolerated.

He went on to acknowledge the pressure faced by referees, urging for understanding. “Let’s respect referees,” he pleaded. “They make decisions in a split of a second, even in Europe VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is making mistakes, someone sitting and watching on a monitor makes mistakes.” This emphasises the need for fans to maintain composure and allow officials to do their jobs.

The PSL chairman concluded with a call to action. “I want to encourage the responsible authorities to deal with this as soon as possible because the statutes are there,” he declared. This underscores the importance of enforcing regulations and ensuring accountability.

The CAPS United incident exposes a critical issue in the league - fan behaviour and respect for referees. The club awaits its official penalty, while the league ponders solutions to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Can stricter enforcement, educational campaigns, or improved communication with fans play a role? Only time will tell if the beautiful game can truly thrive when respect for all parties involved is not a given.