Zimbabwe referees banned after coach slapped own player

Zimbabwean referees Lawrence Zimondi and Rumeck Edgar have been banned for the rest of the country’s domestic football league season over incompetent officiation. The referees’ decisions angered a coach who ended up slapping his own player.

The incident prompted the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) to investigate the duo’s handling of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) between Dynamos FC and Ngezi Platinum Stars on October 4.

In a statement, ZIFA confirms that Zimondi and Edgar messed up the game which ended one-all at Rufaro Stadium in Harare.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) wishes to inform the football fraternity and the public that referees Lawrence Zimondi and Rumeck Edgar have been suspended from officiating Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches from matchday 31 to the end of the 2025 season,” the statement reads.

How did the referees’ influence the game?

The association says it established that the referees made “incorrect decisions that materially affected the outcome of the match. After reviewing the matter, ZIFA determined that both officials breached Article 22 of the Referees’ Code of Conduct.”

“In line with the Association’s commitment to uphold integrity, professionalism, and fairness in all competitions, the two referees have been suspended for the remainder of the 2025 PSL season.”

During the game, Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi was caught on camera slapping his own player substitute Mcdonald Makuwe in the technical area. The player had tried to restrain Chiragwi from confronting the referee over his decision in the build up to Dynamos’ goal.

The referee had first shown a red card to Stars’ substitute Kudzai Chigwida before Chiragwi reacted angrily. He too was sent off. The sanctions against the two brings to eight the number of referees ZIFA has penalised this season alone.