Africa-Press – Eswatini. The chaotic scenes exhibited by Mbabane Swallows fans during Saturday’s Mbabane derby have opened a can of worms for the club.
The capital city giants could be slapped with five counts by the Eswatini Football Association Disciplinary Committee following the mayhem that erupted after their 1-2 loss to bitter-rivals Mbabane Highlanders in an ill-fated clash played at Mavuso Sports Centre.
The red and white outfit’s fans are said to have attacked match officials Thembinkosi Dlamini, Zamani Simelane and Gcina Mamba immediately after the final whistle, which condemned them to their second defeat of the season.
Immediately after the referee blew his final whistle, the infuriated supporters allegedly invaded the pitch and attacked the match officials, who ran like headless chickens to the dressing rooms. The crowd-pulling side might be charged under the 2022/23 MTN Premier League Rules and Regulations.
The club is likely to be charged in accordance to Article 7.1( a) after their fans were engaged in an unsporting behaviour after the game by invading the pitch after fulltime, which carries a summary fine of E15 000.
“Any club whose member (s), player (s), official (s), marshal (s) or supporter (s) engage in unsporting or violent misconduct in invading the pitch before, during and after a game shall be summarily fined E15 000 by the PLE,” reads the article. The club is likely to be charged in according to article 7.1(b) for threatening by words and conduct to assault the referee which carries a summary fine of E30 000.
“Any club whose member (s), player (s), official (s), marshal (s) or supporter(s) engage in unsporting or violent misconduct by threatening by conduct or words to assault or attempt to assault a referee will face a minimum fine of E10 000 and a maximum fine of E30 000.
In addition, the offending club shall be ordered to compensate the victim for any financial loss incurred due to the assault by the DC,” reads the article.
The red and white glamour side could be slapped with article 7.1(d) for uttering abusive language towards the match officials.
“Any club whose member (s), player (s), official (s), marshal (s) or supporter (s) engage in unsporting or violent misconduct by uttering abusive or derogatory words, spitting or emission of saliva onto any person or directed towards a person is liable to a minimum fine of E25 000 and maximum E40 000 by the DC. This should also include players where players can incite fans, opposing players and officials etc.,”
Furthermore, the club could be charged in accordance to article 7.1(e) for bringing the sport into disrepute which carries E30 000 summary fine.
“Any club whose member (s), player (s), official (s), marshal (s) or supporter (s) engage in unsporting or violent misconduct by the use of provocative or insulting gestures or signals, unbecoming behaviour or conspiracy or attempt to act to bring football into disrepute or inciting people to behave in a manner that brings the game of football into disrepute shall face a minimum of E10 000 and a maximum fine of E30 000 by the DC,”
Moreover, swallows also stand to be charged with article 7.1(g) for failing to control their fans, which carries a E25 000 summary fine.
“Any club which fails to control fan (s), supporter (s), official (s) and marshals will face a fine of not less than E25 000 by the DC” the article reads. Premier League of Eswatini Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Makhanya could not be drawn for comment at the time of compiling this report.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
