The Tanzania Premier League Board has called off the league match between Young Africans and their traditional rivals, Simba, which was to be played today at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium until the board announces another date.
This decision has been made to allow further investigation into various incidents, including the allegation that Simba were denied entry to the Stadium for training last night.
The match was to be the second derby of the Premier League this season. Yanga won 2-1 in their first round last year.
The second leg of the Dar es Salaam Derby was to be staged at 7:15 pm today at the venue.
Simba boycotted the match, claiming they were denied entry to the venue where they were supposed to train yesterday night.
Tanzania Premier League wants to have a thorough investigation on Simba’s claims to find if they were denied entrance by the venue guards whom Simba claimed were members of Yanga.
In a board letter from its information department, Simba claimed that denying them entry to a training venue violates board’s rule number 14(45).
“Rule 17(45) of the Mainland Premier League rules says the away team has the right to practice at the match venue at least once before the match day during the expected time of the relevant match. Simba have been deliberately denied that right despite arriving at the stadium at the relevant time.”
“Simba was informed by the Stadium Manager that he had no instructions to allow training to take place without the instructions of the Game Commissioner. Despite the arrival of the relevant Game Commissioner, Yanga Club’s bouncers invaded the Simba Motorcade while continuing to cause violence and preventing the Simba Motorcade from entering the stadium to practice,” reads the statement.
