Tim Sukazi, TS Galaxy Chairman. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
As much as the Orlando Pirates’ R100 000 fine for the incident between the club’s officials and security with TS Galaxy chairman Tim Sukazi will be a lesson to other teams, I believe the Premier Soccer League should have made the punishment harder.
After all, Sukazi was manhandled, and that is nothing to be taken lightly. A whole chairman of a club being pushed around and denied access into the stadium was just mind boggling, especially coming from a club that is so much respected and admired by many, not only in South Africa, but the whole continent. It was just disappointing to see.
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The Buccaneers have also been ordered to write an apology for putting the league, the game, SAFA, CAF, FIFA and the sponsors into disrepute. But, what is puzzling again is that, there is no where it says the club should apologize to Sukazi.
Once again, that’s something that is a bit confusing, for me, Sukazi should be the first person that Pirates should apologise to, there is no other way. This is someone who has been in football for a very long time and has done a lot for many SA players during his time as an agent.
And most importantly, he is a parent, a husband, an uncle, a brother and I just can’t imagine how his family felt when they saw that video when it went viral across social media platforms. It was embarrassing and showed a lack of respect from anyone who was involved in the name of Pirates during that scuffle.
They have also put the club into disrepute and I wouldn’t blame anyone from TS Galaxy or Sukazi himself for having no more respect for the Sea Robbers. The level of disrespect in that harsh video and especially the pushing around was just something that was way out of line and deserved a harsher punishment.
In any case, the ruling was done and I believe this can just be a lesson to any team to respect other teams and there must always be a professional manner to deal with issues, especially at the top tier level of South African football.