SIMBA SC leadership has reacted angrily against match-fixing allegations and directed towards the club by Young Africans goalkeeper Ramadhani Kabwili and demanded the authorities to take appropriate action(s).
During a sports programme with one of the local radio station on Monday, the third choice goalkeeper opened up that a Simba official had approached him and offered to give him a Saloon car, Toyota IST, for him to agree to take part in a matchfixing.
He claimed that the official had told him to willingly commit an offence during the match against JKT Tanzania that would warrant a yellow card, which would in the end make him accumulate three yellow cards and miss the Premier League match against Simba at the National Stadium on February 16th last year.
However, Kabwili claimed that he refused the offer and fully featured in the match, in which his team won 1-0 at the Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga.
Feisal Salum’s effort in the 26th minute was the difference as Yanga, then under Mwinyi Zahera rediscovered their winning ways after a sharp slum in their previous three matches in which, they picked only two points from maximum 12.
Kabwili went ahead and featured in the match against Simba, which Yanga lost 1-0 courtesy of a goal netted by striker Meddie Kagere in the 76th minute.
Kabwili’s claims went viral on social media for the past two days and Simba reacted yesterday through the club’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senzo Mazingiza.
“Simba leadership notes with regret the statement made by Young Africans goalkeeper, Ramadhani Kabwili on Monday at East African Radio Studio. These statements from this player are despicable, disrespectful and tantamount to severe allegations of the match tampering as alleged by the player, which Simba refutes and condemns.”
“These statements have severe adverse implications on the integrity of Simba and their leaders. The credibility of the league and football in Tanzania as a whole will be put into question if such statements are not dealt with decisively,” reads part of the statement signed by Mazingiza.
He further said that Simba welcome the speed at which the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has swiftly addressed and taken the matter up as the relevant authority.
“The club trusts that this matter is in the right hands and shall be dealt with appropriately with speed,” he said adding that Simba remain to focus on its projects, the league programme and the Azam Sports Federation Cup.
“The club continues to adequately prepare for the match and provide the necessary support to the team and its technical bench going forward,” he said.
On Monday, TFF Media and Communication Officer, Clifford Ndimbo, said the Federation Secretariat had ordered the Ethics Committee to investigate the match fixing claims by Kabwili and immediately take action(s).
He said the TFF will also inform the relevant security and law enforcement organs to investigate and take appropriate legal action(s). On their side, Yanga leadership through the club’s Communication Officer, Hassan Bumbuli said that they will meet with the player for him to tell them what exactly happened.
“We cannot ignore such allegations because this is not the first time we’ve heard about such kind of claims… we recall previous claims and we will totally support our player in this case to allow investigations to take its due cause. The objective is to bring to an end match-fixing,” said Bumbuli.
