The Premier Soccer League (PSL) disciplinary hearing involving various charges against Orlando Pirates and specifically midfielder Isaac Chansa was postponed on Wednesday night after it was revealed that the indictment against the Zambian international midfielder had been changed to assault.
”I viewed a video of the relevant incident involving Chansa and assistant referee Yujesh Anjith during Pirates’ 1-1 draw with Jomo Cosmos,” said PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu, ”and after careful consideration I felt the charge against the player should be changed from ungentlemanly conduct and bringing the league into disrepute to that of assault.”
The hearing has been switched to Thursday December 7
”The postponement is due firstly to the fact that Anjith has left for Tunisia to officiate in a CAF game,” said Majavu, ”and also because I thought it only fair to Chansa and Pirates that they have an opportunity of viewing the video recording of the game.”
The charges against Pirates relate to the disorderly behaviour of their fans during recent successive games in which they were beaten by Santos in the Telkom Knockout competition and drew with Cosmos in a PSL fixture. Both matches took place at Ellis Park.
Chansa, meanwhile, has made a public apology for his uncharacteristically volatile outburst in which he was shown a red card after allegedly abusing Anjith verbally and then holding the assistant referee by the neck.
”I can only express my deep regret for the harm I have done the PSL, Pirates and myself as a result of my reaction to being unfairly shown a red card for the first time in my career,” said the player, who is normally among the most disciplined in the troubled Buccaneers squad.
Although Chansa’s impeccable past record is certainly a mitigating factor, the change of the charge against him has added dramatically to the seriousness of a case that has left Pirates licking their wounds from a season of cascading disappointments that has now burst into incidents of uncontrolled violence. — Sapa