The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE suspension of Sakubva Stadium from hosting Premier Soccer League matches is no longer about the standards of the match venue, but something else better known by those within the corridors of power in domestic football administration.
Not even the decision to relocate matches to Vengere Stadium in Rusape makes common sense as coaches and players in the domestic top-flight league have roundly and openly condemned the state of the pitch, with some labelling it an ideal venue for mountain bike riding practice.
Exactly a fortnight after City of Mutare completed renovating areas that the football authorities had requested, including the acquisition of new world class FIFA approved goalposts, PSL and ZIFA officials are still to re-inspect the facility.
Ironically, it took less than 48 hours for the same football authorities to suspend Sakubva Stadium and move fixtures to Vengere, only after a visiting Bulawayo City goalkeeper swung on one of the goalposts resulting in its collapse.
To buttress the ulterior motives behind Sakubva Stadium suspension, PSL continues referring questions from the media to ZIFA First Instance Body (FIB) and the later refers back to the former.
ZPC Kariba coach, Rodwell Dhlakama who has been at Vengere Stadium, both as a player and now as a coach, said: “Honestly speaking, that pitch is very dangerous for players. Because of the intensity of the game, players will be injured. The dimensions are not correct in terms of the measurements.
“From mere observation, if that pitch has correct measurements, then they must have used the minimum measurements either sides. The correct measurement should 90m to 100m or 100m to 110m width and length.
“The Mutare match venue has been suspended from hosting Premiership matches on countless occasions in the past for alleged poor maintenance, but in most cases, just like in the latest case, heavy handedness on the part of those mandated to homologate the facilities has been crystal clear.”
