The Mzuzu based TNM super league rookies, Mzuzu University Football Club fondly known as The Green Intellectuals have launched an official complaint to Super League of Malawi (Sulom), a body which runs the top flight league in the country over poor officiation by a Mzuzu based referee.
The complaint addressed to Sulom secretary general which our publication has seen follows the game the student’s team had against Red Lions last Sunday which saw the Zomba based soldiers carrying the day by beating the student’s team by two goals to one.
Mzuni FC officials are convinced that their team lost courtesy of the biased officiation of a referee identified as Mavuto Godiya.
“We have information that the referee has links with Chilumba Barracks, the club at the centre of controversies surrounding our promotion into the elite league.
“These issues are well documented. Most of our games handled by Mr Godoya in Simama League have ended controversially. It was this that prompted us to ask the match commissioner for an alternative referee before the game through our Team Manager Mr Vyson Jedegwa, Assistant Coach Mr Jommo Ngonga and Chairperson, Mr Albert Harawa. We felt he would not give us a fair game,” reads in part the complaint co-signed by the team’s vice chairperson Dr Khumbo Kumwenda and secretary general Robert Munthali.
“True to our fears about his competence and biasness, whilst scores were level at 1 – 1 after two minutes of extra time, Mr Godoya awarded Red Lions a penalty for a handball outside the box. Red Lions scored to lead and win the game 1 – 2.
“We believe this penalty was predetermined. We are saying this because it was clear that the offence, if any, was committed outside the 18 yard box. The linesman who was closer to the action did not signal for any infringement. The referee was further from the action,” reads the detailed complaint adding “shortly after this, there was also a clear deliberate handball by a Red Lions player in their 18 yard box and nothing was given.”
The Green intellectuals officials say that the referee’s actions “decided which way the game went.”
“We also faced a similar incident against Surestream FC and we complained. To an extent, we feel we are being targeted. We have put in a lot of resources to develop a competitive side. It’s a pity that our efforts are being frustrated by referees like Mr Godoya,” lament Mzuni officials.
“We hence request that Mr Godoya should not be allowed to handle any of our games again. If this request is not granted, as a club we will consider playing all our home games in Dwangwa, away from Mzuzu Stadium. There is no point in referees here benefiting from officiating our games when they already have preferred winners in mind. We want to win and lose fairly.”
It is yet to be seen if Sulom will work hand in hand with the referees to improve the beautiful game of football as Sulom is known with backing incompetent referees even if their mediocrity in officiating the game lead to death(s) of football fans when tempers flare up and acts of hooliganism and violence erupts in the process.
Following the impressive start of Mzuni FC in the top league, football pundits in the country tipped the team that it has the potential to survive relegation saying the team is not only playing good football but also purposeful football capable of making it secure the necessary points to remain in the super League.