‘BUFFS’ PETITION REFS COMMITTEE

MBABANE – MTN Premier League giants Young Buffaloes have raised significant concerns regarding the standard of officiating in their recent matches.  A source close to the army side, nicknamed Amathole’zinyathi, has reportedly revealed that the Dominic Kunene-coached team has formally written to the Referees Committee (RC) and copied the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE), outlining their grievances.

Satisfied

“The team submitted the letter on Monday. They are simply not satisfied with some of the referees officiating their games,” the source explained. Additionally, the source disclosed that the club was recently brought before the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Disciplinary Committee (DC) following allegations of threatening behaviour towards a referee. “Gwebu (CEO) is the right person to provide full details on this matter, as he handles media relations for the team,” the source added.

When contacted for comment, Buffaloes Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sandile Gwebu remained diplomatic, stating that he would be able to comment fully once the matter had been properly addressed. Meanwhile, RC Chairman Sipho Kunene claimed they have yet to receive the letter from Young Buffaloes. “These issues are usually handled by the EFA; please contact Radebe. “It is possible the letter has been forwarded to them, as I haven’t seen it in the office,” Kunene said. The EFA Marketing and Communications Officer, Muzi Radebe, declined to comment, stating that he could not speak on behalf of an independent body.

Suspended

It is worth noting that Buffaloes were fined E30 000 this past Tuesday, half of which was suspended by the Thulani Sibandze-chaired EFA DC, after their fans engaged in threatening conduct towards match officials. Throughout the history of football, clubs have occasionally expressed dissatisfaction with the standard of refereeing. These complaints are often directed to referees’ committees or governing bodies, highlighting concerns about officiating decisions that they believe affect the outcome of matches.
Notable cases include that of Manchester United, of England back in 2012.  

After a controversial match against Newcastle United, where a perceived error by referee Mike Dean led to a late equaliser for Newcastle, Manchester United formally complained about the officiating standards. In 2015, Chelsea lodged a complaint with the Premier League after referee Craig Pawson failed to send off Tottenham’s Eric Dier for a foul during a crucial match. The club believed that the decision was a significant error that influenced the match’s outcome.

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