Three referees suspended in Zimbabwe for below-par performance

Zimbabwe local league game: Photo Credit: Yadah FC media.

Three referees have been suspended from officiating three games each in the Zimbabwe's Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has cracked the whip on referees Lloyd Mapanje, Grace Gimo and assistant referee Claris Simango for what the association says performing below the expected standard of officiating top-flight league matches.

The FA has punished Mapanje for his unsatisfactory handling of a PSL game between Dynamos FC and Yadah at Rufaro Stadium in Harare on June 19 2025.

"This follows his performance during the Dynamos versus Yadah match played at Rufaro Stadium on 19 June 2025, which was reported by the match commissioner as not meeting the expected standard," ZIFA statement reads.

Consequently, Mapanje has been barred from handling three consecutive league games.

Gimo, too, has received a similar punishment for her questionable handling of a league match between Green Fuel and TelOne on 14th June.

The association says the referees' performance was found to be below the required standard. Simango has since been suspended from being involved in three games because his officiating of a game between Dynamos and Yadah did not meet the standard.

ZIFA says it arrived at the disciplinary measures against the three match officials "following assessments of their recent performance during the Premier League fixtures."

The sanctions against the three brings to five the number of referees penalised this season alone.

Earlier last month, ZIFA banished referee Owen Manenda from handling any top-flight league match for his questionable handling of a game between Dynamos FC and Caps United. The encounter ended one-all at Rufaro Stadium in Harare. Another referee also received a similar punishment.