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Action on Gaston Sirino 'unfair'

Gaston Sirino of Mamelodi Sundowns.
Gaston Sirino of Mamelodi Sundowns.
Image: ©BackpagePix

Pitso Mosimane has called for consistency regarding the Premier Soccer League's disciplinary cases, with his midfielder Gaston Sirino facing the prospect of missing some games following his conviction for assault.

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Sirino is still awaiting sentencing from the PSL's disciplinary committee (DC), after a tribunal headed by Nande Becker found him guilty of assaulting Clayton Daniels, of SuperSport United, in September.

Becker, PSL's prosecuter, told Sowetan in January that the Uruguayan could face a four-match ban, which would severely disadvantage Sundowns in the title run-in. But while Mosimane said he was prepared to challenge for the Absa Premiership even without Sirino's services, he has questioned Becker's commitment to enforcing the law on an equal basis.

"I have spoken numerously about Sirino's behaviour," the Sundowns coach said.

"I have said he needs to work on his temper and control his emotions. But the fact is he was punished with a yellow card for that incident with Daniels. "Whose fault is it that he was not given a red card?"

He questioned why the case has dragged on for this long, with Becker having previously stated Sundowns were not blameless in the delay as they had apparently requested numerous postponements.

"The incident happened in September. Sirino was charged only in October. Why not charge him a day after the match? Why wait for so long? I find it very funny that every year, there's some disciplinary case hanging just before the close of the season.

"Two years ago, it was the Ajax Cape Town and Tendai Ndoro issue. Last year, it was the (Wayne) Arendse matter. Now this."

Mosimane also accused Becker of being heavy-handed on Sirino.

"Since when is the PSL reviewing these cases? You've got to treat all teams fairly. [Samir] Nurkovic [of Kaizer Chiefs] kicked [Thembinkosi] Lorch in the Soweto derby. He got only a yellow card. What's different from that to the Sirino case? The yellow card Sirino got led to him accumulating four, hence he missed the game against Vaal University [due to suspension]. Why punish him twice when others get away with it?"

Sirino, who has a red card this season, is key to Downs' ambitions.

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