TFF, Simba fined over riot

THE government has ordered Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) to pay 5m/- to cover the damage of seats at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam when Simba SC took on Rwanda’s Kiyovu Sport in the return leg of the CAF Confederation Cup’s preliminary round last Sunday.According to the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, a total of 152 seats were partially destroyed while 11 seats were totally demolished, when soccer fans suspected to be Simba supporters engaged in a brawl with fans believed to be supporting rivals, Yanga, in one part of the state-of-the-art arena.“The ministry has been saddened with such uncivilized act, which could have led to huge disaster to soccer fans who attended the game,” the Director of Sports Development Department in the ministry, Leonard Thadeo, said in the city.He said the ministry has also ordered the football governing body to critically examine the matter and identify the culprits, saying if such incidents would occur again, the ministry would not hesitate to close down the stadium temporarily.“The ministry has also ordered TFF to critically examine the matter to identify the culprits and take stern measures against them,” he said. Thadeo said the ministry has already repaired the seats and he urged the soccer fans to take care of the stadium. “I urge all the soccer fans to support our teams in peaceful manner to avoid any incident that could endanger peace and security during the games,” he said adding that everyone should take care of the stadium so that the facility could last longer.TFF has equally expressed its dismay at the brawl instigated by the fans believed to be supporters of the two rival clubs, saying the situation was abnormal and hardly represented the actual behaviour of Tanzanians. A statement issued by the Acting TFF Secretary General, Sunday Kayuni, said the federation has issued a sound warning to Simba SC and other clubs to stop their respective fans from damaging stadium infrastructure.“While the concerned TFF committees prepare to meet and issue out more punishment to the culprits, clubs should educate their fans on avoiding inhuman acts”, read part of the statement. In a dramatic turn of events, Simba held a press conference yesterday when they threatened to stop using the National Stadium for league or international matches citing unjustifiable fines over Sunday’s riots.Simba Chairman, Ismail Rage told reporters in the city on Thursday that they were fined 5m/- by TFF for hooliganism and destruction of properties at the stadium. “TFF deducted 3.5m/- from our premier league match revenue collection when we played Kagera Sugar yesterday (Wednesday) and will do so for the remaining amount, something we find it very unfair,” said Rage.He said they were not given the actual damage cost, claiming that also it was not clear that the fans that did the damage were supporters of the Msimbazi Street outfit. Rage went on saying that the club’s executive committee will meet soon to discuss the matter and come up with a decision that would be communicated to the club members and supporters. He claimed that being the key stakeholders, TFF was supposed to consider various factors before punishing the club.