PIRATES DISLODGE ‘BIRDS’

MBABANE – It was Mbabane Swallows’ bad week in which they surrendered their 51-match unbeaten run, turned for the worst last night when they were dislodged to the sixth place by Moneni Pirates on the MTN log standings.

The Buccaneers moved from position seven to fifth after gaining three points and three goals from the boardroom following Mbabane Citizens being penalised for causing abandonment of their league games against the hub side in the opening week of the season, on September 15.
Citizens fielded eight players and two of their players, Musa Mamba and Bonkhe Sukati, suffered injuries in the second half and the team was left with only six players, forcing the referee Thokozani Dlamini, to call the match off.

Last night, the Disciplinary Committee (DC), headed by Thulani Sibandze, found Citizens guilty, fining them E50 000 (of which E20 000 was suspended, meaning they will have to pay E30 000) and most importantly, they forfeited the game to Moneni Pirates.
Pirates moved to fifth spot with seven points, leapfrogging Swallows in the process.

Citizens were found guilty of contravening Article 4.18 of the 2018/ 19 MTN Premier League Rules and Regulations.
“Any club walking out, or refusing to honour a fixture duly issued by the PLE shall be deemed to have caused the abandonment of the match, and shall, if found guilty of such an offence, lose the match, with three points and three goals awarded to their opponents, and a suspension of not more than three months

imposed on them plus a fine of not less than E50 000 by the DC,” reads Article 4.18 in part. They were also found guilty according to the FIFA Statues, Law 3, which provides that a match is played by two teams, each with a maximum of 11 players, and one must be the goalkeeper.
A match may not start or continue if either team has fewer than seven players.
The referee, Thokozani Dlamini, waited for 15 minutes with the players not returning to the field of play and he called off the match in the 54th minute. Pirates were leading 2-0 when the game was called off. Citizens Chairman Mandla Simelane, who represented the club, pleaded not guilty to the charge as he argued that the injuries suffered by the players were beyond their control. He pleaded with the DC to be lenient as he argued that they failed to register their players on time due to the absence of the registration officer who was alleged to be away to school.
Simelane said they were yet to discuss the verdict with the relevant stakeholders and see if they will appeal the verdict.

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