PSL, Herentals clash
HERENTALS have unequivocally asked the Premier Soccer League to revoke the suspension of their star player Tinotenda Benza for their upcoming Match Day 22 assignment.
The striker is on PSL’s list of suspended players for the weekend’s round of fixtures along with Junior Makunike (Simba Bhora), Michael Charamba (Chicken Inn), Hastings Chapusha (CAPS United) and ZPC Kariba’s Munashe Gavaza, for accumulating three yellow cards.
However, the Students insist their skipper has picked just two cautions after his last suspension on Week 15 of the marathon.
Benza was forced to sit out Herentals’ clash against Chegutu Pirates at Baobab after being officially reprimanded in his team’s fixtures against CAPS United, Manica Diamonds, and Bikita Minerals, as per a memorandum received from PSL by Herentals.
However, on his current suspension, the PSL stated that Benza was cautioned in matches against Ngezi Platinum, Manica Diamonds, and FC Platinum. Herentals are yet to play the reverse fixture against Manica Diamonds and that means Benza is being reprimanded for the same offence he has already been punished for.
And his team last night wrote an emergency letter to PSL chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele seeking recourse after their day-long efforts to seek clarity on the matter reportedly yielded results.
“We are writing to express our strong objection to the clear violation of the Premier Soccer League Regulations and FIFA Regulations as displayed by your office.
“Your two memoranda dated 30 July 2024, raise serious concerns about the fairness and integrity of the disciplinary process and are a travesty and clear attempt to manipulate the system,” read the letter.
“On 10 June 2024, we received a memorandum suspending our player, Tinotenda Benza, for accumulating three yellow cards in the following matches:◆Herentals College v CAPS United
16.03.24
◆ Herentals College v Manica Diamonds
13.04.24
◆ Herentals College v Bikita Minerals 01.06.24. “Our player served his suspension and did not play in the match against Chegutu Pirates on the 16th of June 2024. “However, your recent memorandum dated 30 July 2024, attempts to suspend our player for the games that were played before his initial suspension.
The Students queried the seeming mix-up in the PSL’s records including the dates on which Benza is said to have been booked. “Specifically, you cite:
1. Herentals College v Manica Diamonds 27.04.24 — you have made a repetition of a game he had already served a suspension for.
“We did not play any game on the date cited — Herentals v Ngezi Platinum 13.04.24.
“We did not play a match against Ngezi Platinum on the cited date. We played Ngezi Platinum on 22 June 2024. FC Platinum v Herentals College 28.07.24 “To add more confusion, you have sent another memorandum suspending him for the following games:1. Herentals College v Bikita Minerals 01.06 2024 — on your first memorandum dated 10 June 2024 you suspended him for accumulating a yellow card in our match against Bikita Minerals and again now you are using the same disciplinary card as your ground of suspension.
2. Herentals College v Ngezi Platinum 22. 06.24
3. FC Platinum v Herentals College 28.07.24 “This is a clear attempt to unfairly suspend and manipulate the system. Your actions are a gross violation of the governing rules and regulations, the FIFA regulations, and the rules of fair play. “We will not stand idly while you try to sabotage our team’s chances by unfairly suspending our key players. The repeated serving of memoranda with contradictory match dates and erroneous fixtures is a blatant attempt to tamper with the schedule. This obvious manipulation is aimed at creating a pretext for suspending our crucial players, thereby undermining our team’s prospects and unfairly influencing the outcome.
“As stated in Order 33 of the PSL Regulations about disciplinary cards it is highlighted that “where a player has accumulated three yellow cards, he shall be automatically suspended for one official match applicable on the next official match. “We demand you take immediate action to correct this injustice and recognise that our player only accumulated two yellow cards after the first suspension not three. Herentals went on to give their records. “The games in question are:
◆ Herentals v Ngezi Platinum 22.06.24 ◆ FC Platinum v Herentals 28.07.24 “Your actions will not be tolerated and we expect a prompt response regarding this matter.” The PSL had not responded at the time of going to print.