HARARE – The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has suspended five match officials after finding that their officiating mistakes had a direct and material impact on the outcomes of league matches.
The sanctions, announced on Tuesday, follow a review of match commissioners’ reports. ZIFA said the officials were found to have breached Article 22 of the ZIFA Referees Code of Conduct, which provides for disciplinary action when refereeing errors materially influence the result of a match.
Assistant referee Phikisani Ndlovu has been suspended for six matches in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League and will miss Matchdays 21 to 26.
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The sanction relates to his performance during FC Platinum’s league fixture against Hunters FC at Mandava Stadium on 27 June, which ZIFA deemed to have fallen below the required standard.
Northern Region Soccer League
In the Northern Region Soccer League, referee Chamunorwa Tapiwa and assistant referee Christian Gumbeze were each handed six-match suspensions following their officiating of the Marere FC versus Zambezi G & C FC match at Centenary Ground on 21 June.
The pair will be sidelined from Matchdays 17 to 22.
Further disciplinary action was taken in the Southern Region Soccer League, where referee Graduate Mubobo and assistant referee Praise Mkwevo were also suspended for six matches.
Their bans, covering Matchdays 16 to 21, stem from their performance during a fixture played at Chinotimba Stadium on 24 June.
ZIFA Defends Decision
In a statement, ZIFA said the suspensions followed findings that the officials made incorrect decisions that materially affected the outcomes of the respective matches.
“The sanctions relate to incorrect officiating decisions considered to have materially affected the outcomes of the respective matches, in breach of Article 22 of the ZIFA Referees Code of Conduct,” the association said.
ZIFA added that the disciplinary action demonstrates its commitment to protecting the integrity and credibility of Zimbabwean football by holding match officials accountable when their performances fall short of the required standard.
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The suspensions span three competitions, the Premier Soccer League, Northern Region Soccer League and Southern Region Soccer League, signalling that ZIFA’s review of officiating standards extends across all levels of the domestic game.
The fact that each official received an identical six-match suspension suggests the association is applying Article 22 consistently, regardless of the competition involved.
The move comes as concerns over refereeing standards continue to dominate discussions in Zimbabwean football, with clubs, coaches and supporters increasingly questioning decisions that have influenced results.
By publicly identifying the officials involved and the matches under review, ZIFA has taken an unusually transparent approach, sending a clear message that officiating errors with a material impact on results will not go unpunished.
