Polokwane City exploiting loophole in rules relating to recording of matches

This follows complaints last week from All Stars FC, who lost 2-1 to City and claimed they were victims of poor match officiating that benefited the hosts.

Rise and Shine, who are chasing promotion back to the premier division, are currently second on the log with 40 points after 20 matches – just a point adrift from log leaders Casric Stars (formerly Free State Stars).

SABC Sport has learnt that City are demanding teams show them a camera sticker issued by the league as proof that the club is granted permission to use a light video camera for technical or tactical analysis during the match.

This is a listed requirement contained in the PSL’s Compliance Manual, which further states only persons accredited by the League as Member Club Crew may make such recordings.

It is said that most clubs do not demand these stickers, disregarding the compliance manual, and allow clubs to film games through their performance and/or video analysts.

This is where City are allegedly capitalising in stopping teams that have not followed the regulations of being fully compliant for their own benefit.

All Stars coach Sinethemba Badela expressed his frustration last week following what was their sixth defeat onff the Championship campaign, while alleging they were denied a legitimate goal and a penalty appeal was turned down in the dying minutes.

“Our players are honest people; they work very hard and we knew. It first starts with the opposition not allowing our analysts to record the game, already that tells you one thing,” said Badela, who side were recently knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by Orlando Pirates.

“This is very discouraging; you want the game to be fair and this is not happening here for the first time – the Leagues needs to do something about it.

“If you come here and get anything, you are very lucky because they don’t allow the analysts to come [and record the game], they don’t allow a lot of things.

“These kinds of decisions that favour the home team, we have to take it on the chin and move on.”

All Stars were not the first to complain about being denied the right to record their away game against the Limpopo-based outfit this season, after a scuffle broke out in their game against MM Platinum (La Masia) following a controversial 2-1 win for the hosts.

Research conducted among some of the First Division clubs by SABC Sport suggests many are in fact not aware of the compliance manual’s requirements for camera stickers for their analysts’ equipment.