Zanaco Football Club midfielder Salulani Phiri has been given a red card off the pitch as well, as the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Disciplinary Committee has suspended him for four months and fined him K20,000 for misconduct during an MTN Super League match.
The incident occurred when Phiri aggressively threatened the referee by pulling the match official’s shirt after receiving a red card in the 41st minute of the game against Prison Leopards.
However, the committee has partially suspended his sentence to two months, considering his previous good disciplinary record in line with Article 33 of the Disciplinary Code. To ensure that Phiri doesn’t repeat the same offence, he will be on probation for six months, and his two months suspended sentence will be activated automatically if he does.
To further demonstrate his remorse and commitment to respecting authorities in sport and opponents, Phiri has been required to visit two schools in Lusaka and talk to school children about the need for respect in sport for one hour at each school. He must also present video proof of these activities to the Registrar’s office before the end of the FAZ 2022/23 season.
Phiri retains the right to appeal the committee’s decision within 72 hours notification of the verdict, as per Articles 119, 120, and 121 of the Code. Despite the punishment, FAZ acting General Secretary Iva Lengwe has commended the committee for their commitment to clearing all outstanding disciplinary cases, indicating that justice has been served.
