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Tanzania Premier League Board chairman slams Yanga’s CAS appeal as ‘ridiculous’
TPLB Chairman Steven Mnguto
What you need to know:
- Reports indicate that Yanga’s management has lodged a formal complaint with CAS, complaining about TPLB’s handling of the game that was meant to be held on March 8 this year but was postponed on suspicious circumstances.
Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) has criticised Yanga’s decision to take their grievance to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the postponed match against Simba, calling the move “ridiculous.”
Reports indicate that Yanga’s management has lodged a formal complaint with CAS, complaining about TPLB’s handling of the game that was meant to be held on March 8 this year but was postponed on suspicious circumstances.
However, TPLB Chairman Steven Mnguto has expressed disbelief at the move, suggesting the matter could have been resolved through domestic dialogue rather than international arbitration.
In an interview with Mwananchi Digital, Mnguto said "CAS is not something you can simply approach without understanding its procedures. While our colleagues may have gone to CAS before, especially in the Morrison [Bernard Morrison] case, and are familiar with the procedures, the matter in question can be settled locally. If they go to CAS now, without a decision having been made here, it would be a joke. Perhaps, because of their resources, they might go to CAS, inquire about procedures, and wait for our decision, but I don’t believe this is an issue that requires CAS intervention."
Mnguto added that despite the existence of rules and regulations, the matter requires wisdom and discretion to resolve effectively.
"Imagine if it were Yanga or Simba facing relegation – how would it appear? Poor foundations laid in the past make it hard to fix issues now. When we talk about Simba refusing, we need to clarify whether it was a refusal, or not. Yanga also has the right to claim the three points, or not. These are matters that need to follow the correct procedures, and it is vital to apply wisdom and discretion," Mnguto said.
He said anyone refusing to use wisdom and discretion is not serious about resolving the issue but is only trying to stir unnecessary panic.
“If these teams want to be relegated, what good does it do? These are matters that should follow the proper procedures,” Mnguto said.
Among the complaints Yanga has submitted to CAS is that claims of preferential treatment towards certain clubs by the football authorities.
