Thandi Mwape fired home in additional time to send the Kabwe Fans into agog as they jumped the perimeter fence to celebrate with Players at Ucar 107- home of the magnificent Peoples team. This was during the fixture 13 of the Zambia super league played on 20th April 2019.
However, stadium security or the Police fired a tears gas canister and the match was abandoned as Nakambala players walked out of the field of play. The game was now to be determined by the boardroom committee decision.
The matter raised mixed opinions but three weeks later it has now been brought to bed with Kabwe Warriors being awarded three points powering the people’s team to the top of the Stream A Zambia super league 2019.
Here is why Nakambal lost the case:
1. Canister Dropped In The Northern Open Wing.
There was no way one tear gas canister could affect proceedings on the field of play in Kabwe looking at the location it was thrown. One reason the goal posts in Kabwe face the East and West is due to the movements of the winds which mostly move from South heading North.
So when the canister was thrown at the Northen desk, the canister mist whisked out of the stadium and into Warrior’s motel and nearby residential area. The April winds swipe from South to North.
It would have been a different story if the canister was thrown at the southern Desks where the VIP is as that would have meant that the wind would have blown the canister powder on the field.
Only the fans at the North desks were affected not the players. There was no reason why the match couldn’t go on.
2. The Referee Guided by Laws Of The Game
While Nakambala players walked out of the field of play citing security reasons, the Warriors players stayed on wanting the match to continue. So was the referee. The referee saw no danger and in this case, the stance of the referee that there was safety is what has swept Nakambala to the floor.
The referee’s decision is final when officiating a game in play. Players must abide by that ruling even if they think otherwise because the referee is the only one mandated to make such a decision.
By daring the referee’s orders it showed the levels of insolence in the Nakambala squad and they must be fined for gross indiscipline.
