Referees, and their poor decisions in particular, have sadly once again been to the fore in recent DStv Premiership matches.
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Depending on your team of choice, supporters have been left frustrated by a number of baffling decisions which could ultimately pay a role in determining the destination of the title, the top 8 finishers and even the relegation battle.
There has been a call from the soccer fraternity for the South African Football Association (SAFA) to act – and they have listened to the pleas and cracked the whip.
According to City Press, current referee of the season Jelly Chavani has found himself in hot water following a string of questionable decisions, most notably a clear penalty that wasn’t awarded to Orlando Pirates in their recent clash against Swallows FC.
In that particular match – which ended 1-1 – the Buccaneers were denied a clear-cut penalty after Fortune Makaringe was brought down in the penalty area.
Unbelievably, instead of awarding the penalty, referee Chavani showed Makaringe a yellow card for “simulation”.
Following his poor decision, Chavani has been sidelined for four weeks by the governing body.
While one sympathises with referees and their assistants, especially in South Africa without the use of VAR, one never likes to see a match – or league – decided on the error of the man with the whistle.
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