Singida BS Football Club has threatened not to play their CRDB Cup semifinal match against Simba SC, scheduled for Saturday, May 31, if the match is officiated by referees they deem questionable.
Additionally, the club has called on the Premier League Board/TFF to take disciplinary action against referee Elly Sasie following incidents in their recent NBC Premier League match on Wednesday at the KMC Complex Stadium, where they claim they were denied fair treatment.
In the match, which Singida BS lost 1-0, there were three key incidents where referee Sasie allegedly “swallowed the whistle,” denying the team clear penalty opportunities.
Speaking to a media outlet yesterday, Singida BS spokesperson Hussein Massanza said they have sent an official complaint letter to the league board, demanding a formal response. If ignored, they will withdraw from both the NBC Premier League and the CRDB Cup.
“After reviewing the match against Simba SC, we are convinced there were unfair decisions. We have submitted a formal complaint to the relevant authorities according to the regulations and clearly stated our position as a club,” said Massanza.
“We want the authorities to take action against referee Elly Sasie for what he did to us in that match. We've also asked the authorities not to assign any referees we have doubts about for the CRDB Cup semifinal match against Simba.”
“If our complaints are not addressed, we will withdraw from the NBC Premier League and the CRDB Cup. We’ll look for another competition to participate in—even if it's in Zanzibar—where leagues are run fairly,” he added.
This protest from Singida BS comes amid growing unrest, as at least six teams have reportedly threatened to boycott the remaining two league matches of the season due to dissatisfaction with how the league is being managed.
