Referees Given Lengthy Bans by SAFA for Poor Performances!

Referees Given Lengthy Bans by SAFA for Poor Performances! The DSTV Premiership season has been littered with poor refereeing decisions this season.

As a result, many games have been heavily dictated by these decisions. The culprits have been sanctioned by SAFA and the PSL.

Current PSL referee of the season Jelly Chavani has been sanctioned for 4 weeks. This is after he booked Fortune Makaringe for simulation when Orlando Pirates hosted Swallows.

This is despite Makaringe being clearly fouled in the penalty area.

Cedrick Muvhali has been sanctioned for a stunning 24 weeks. This means that his season has prematurely ended.

Muvhali denied Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila’s Thabo Rakhale a possible goal of the season contender. The goal was adjudged to be offside even though this was far from the case.

Former referee Ace Ngcobo was particularly angered by a decision in the Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Bloemfontein Celtic game last week.

Assistant referee Andile Mncwango judged Celtic striker Sera Motebang for being offside. This is despite the striker being kept onside by 2 Sundowns defenders.

Mncwango is expected to be charged for this. This angered Ace Ngcobo as he felt this decision was a “stupid decision”.

I prefer to speak about refereeing errors rather than downright stupid decisions that don't deserve to be termed as errors. An error is excusable because you can almost pin down the causal factors. On the contrary, a stupid decision is just that, a stupid decision!

— Ace Ncobo – Spot On (@AceNcobo) January 20, 2021

Natasha Tsichlas, SAFA’s chair of the Referees Committee has acknowledged that the level of refereeing this season has been subpar.

“Yes, we might have had a few bad calls here and there by some officials but that does not amount to a blanket low standards of refereeing,” Tsichlas said.

“We review all matches and results are provided, in most cases, the following day and where an official is guilty, we sanction that individual without fear or favour.

“The Review Committee is made up of knowledgeable individuals and one of them is renowned referee, Chris Harrison whose career was cut short by an injury. He is also a respected attorney.

‘’These are difficult times, our officials are trying their best but that doesn’t mean we can condone poor officiating” she concluded.

Referees Given Lengthy Bans by SAFA for Poor Performances!