TWO senior Zimbabwe Referees Committee officials (names supplied) have been accused of alleged sexual harassment by some female referees, including married ones.

Some of the referees said they had decided to speak out after their complaints were continuously ignored.

They particularly accused one official of being a “sex pest” that harasses them during most referees’ courses.

One Harare-based referee said she was tired of the pestering by “Official One” and is willing to testify against him before a tribunal.

“To be honest we now don’t know what to do because we are persistently getting phone calls from some male members of the referees’ committee asking for sexual favours. Now and again, especially when people go for these (referees) courses, you get calls being asked to spend a night at a hotel with them.

“Personally I have received these calls from Official One.

At one time he was saying I come to Jameson Hotel, having spent the day asking me so many questions about my personal life, which, however, never bothered me because I considered him as my superior.

Little did I know he was just a loose sex pest,” said the Harare-based referee (name withheld).

She said after turning him down, she confided in some other female referees, who also shared similar experiences.
“Even after totally refusing, the pestering has never stopped.

At one time I communicated with another member of the (referees) committee (name supplied), but he seemed uninterested in helping us, making me suspect that he too was into the same game.

We need help as female referees and I am more than willing to give evidence to the relevant authorities,” said the mother of one.-Chronicle