Sports Correspondent

Five players from FC Wangu Mazodze were left stranded at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera for nearly two hours after club owner Richard Mazodze ordered their suspension and barred them from boarding the team bus.

The club, which led the Eastern Region Division One by 14 points in August, has seen a dramatic decline, now holding only a two-point lead in the race for Premier Soccer League promotion.

Following a 2-0 defeat to FC Hunters, the players—including former CAPS United midfielder Diago Makurumidze—were informed of their suspension via a post-match Zoom call initiated by Mazodze from the United States.

One player, who requested anonymity, recounted the experience: “After the game, the boss called via Zoom and spoke to our leadership. We were told not to board the bus due to our suspension.

“I’m not sure of the specific reasons, but it seems they felt we didn’t perform well, to the point of suspecting match-fixing. Diago missed a crucial scoring opportunity, which likely contributed to the decision.

“Eventually, after about two hours, they returned to pick us up, but we’re upset by how it was handled. Professional footballers deserve better treatment.”