Government weighs in on Epoupa saga

The minister of Sports and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwani has urged all football administrators involved in Christian Epoupa Ntouba red card saga to come with resolutions that move local football forward.

This comes on the back drop of PSL announcing that Epoupa’s red card still stands despite ZIFA’s Referees’ Committee’s decision to rescind it.

The Cameroonian forward was punished for head-butting Highlanders defender Peter Muduhwa during The Battle of Zimbabwe on Sunday.

According to Herald, Minister Hlongwane expressed concern over the decisions made by administrators without consulting each other.

He said in a statement that the decisions taken should not weaken the already established enabling structures within the sport.

‘’ The Minister (of Sport and Recreation) urges all sport administrators who may be involved in dispute resolution to take decisions that do not weaken established enabling structures within the sport and recreation sector,’’ Hlongwane said.

‘’In view of the above, in resolving differences, contestations and protestations that may arise out of sport games, sport administrators are urged to make decisions which inspire confidence to umpires, referees, club executives, sponsors, as well as athletes who are the most important resource of the sport and recreation sector.

‘’The Ministry of Sport and Recreation expresses utmost concern on the continued perpetration of violence in football. To this end, the Minister of Sport and Recreation condemns in the strongest of terms the violence by some spectators and athletes at the Dynamos Highlanders match played on 10 September, 2017 at Rufaro Stadium in Harare.’’

The Sunday clash was marred with some protests from the supporters after Epoupa’s red card which forced the match to be stopped for few moments. During the first installment of Battle of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, the game was abandoned minutes before half time after violence erupted within the home fans.

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