I’m sad that kind of behaviour was seen at a football match: Kirsty Coventry

Recently re-appointed Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry has said “I’m sad that kind of behaviour was seen at a football match” following Sunday’s violence at Barbourfields (BF) Stadium in Bulawayo during a match between bitter rivals Dynamos and Highlanders FC.

The violence saw the much anticipated encounter being called off in the latter stages of the first half (39th minute).

This was after Bosso fans invaded the pitch protesting against referee Allen Bhasvi’s decisions whom they felt his calls were biased towards Dynamos.

Commenting on this uncalled for behaviour, Coventry who was retained as the sport minister by president Emmerson Mnangagwa after her first appointment in 2018 condemned violence and hooliganism in football.

“I’m sad that such kind of behaviour (violence) was seen at a football game,” she said after being sworn at the State House in Harare.

Africa’s most decorated olympian revealed she is waiting for a full report from relevant offices to “see exactly what was the cause to the (violence).

“We will have to wait for the full report from (both teams, match officials and PSL) to figure out exactly what was the cause of that (violence),” she added.

Meanwhile, in her first term as Minister of Sport, Coventry suffered huge criticism from the country’s football enthusiasts following Zimbabwe’s ban by FIFA due to “third party interference”.

This was after the government arm, the Sports and Recreation Commission suspended then ZIFA president Felton Kamambo and his board.

Nevertheless, after a number of engagements with FIFA, a mutual agreement was reached and Zimbabwe’s ban was lifted in June.