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Tadious Manyepo and Eddie Chikamhi
THE Premier Soccer League have been hugely exposed for their failure to put in place a contingency plan after they were yesterday forced to suspend the league marathon for the next three weeks because the National Sports Stadium is in an unserviceable state.
Almost half of the 18 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League teams use the giant facility as their home ground and the venue has almost always hosted top-flight matches at least four days a week for the past three months. Harare teams Dynamos, CAPS United, Herentals, Black Rhinos, Yadah and Cranborne Bullets plus two other sides Simba Bhora and ZPC Kariba all host their home games at the National Sports Stadium.
And the facility’s turf has been reduced to tuft patches due to the consistent trampling which isn’t helped by the fact that most of these teams often use the stadium for training ahead of their home games.
Simba Bhora’s Wadzanai Stadium in Shamva is still being renovated; so is ZPC Kariba’s Nyamhunga.
Rufaro Stadium, which for long has been used by Dynamos, Herentals, Black Rhinos and Yadah as their home ground is also still being upgraded.
And the overburdened National Sports Stadium has developed faults in key infrastructure including water reticulation.
The problems at the stadium are now being attended to by the relevant authorities and the PSL have been left with no option but call off three weeks of top-flight action which was supposed to start today with Simba Bhora and Herentals sizing each other.
Already Herentals and Simba Bhora were at advanced stages to book themselves ahead of today’s game when the PSL issued a statement yesterday.
“This serves to advise that the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League is taking a break with immediate effect and will resume on the 1st of July 2023,” read the statement.
“This has been necessitated by the maintenance work on water reticulation being carried out at the National Sports Stadium and to allow the playing field to regenerate.
“We also expect refurbishment works at Rufaro, Nyamhunga and Sakubva stadia to be completed before we resume Castle Lager PSL matches”.
The PSL is now hoping that Rufaro and Nyamhunga would be ready to host top-tier matches by July 1.
Of course that will be subject to ZIFA’s First Instance Board approving the facilities.
Stadium crisis was always bound to affect the flow of the season which is now in Week 12.
Manica Diamonds and GreenFuel have also adopted Gibbo Stadium in Triangle as their home ground as Sakubva in Mutare was condemned at the start of the season.
Even Hwange had to endure strenuous journeys to host their opponents in Bulawayo before their Colliery arena was homologated a few weeks ago.
Gweru-based Sheasham have also been entertaining their guests at Mandava in Zvishavane before their Bata Stadium was recently cleared to host Premiership games.
But that was after a protracted battle featuring the team and PSL with the latter initially reversing the clearance by FIB who had okayed the venue four weeks ago.
But it is the latest episode that has apparently inconvenienced football stakeholders who were caught by surprise after the shock announcement by the PSL.
The Sports and Recreation Commission, who are the custodians of the stadium, yesterday said they were cognisant of the challenges at the National Sports Stadium.
Sports Commission Director-General Elta Nengomasha told The Herald the Stadium was not closing entirely, as they had wanted the games to continue while the works were taking place.
The PSL were given two conditions which included reducing the number of games at the giant stadium, from an average of four per week to two, to allow the grass turf to rehabilitate.
Since the situation with the toilets and ablution facilities had degenerated, the Sports Commission had also asked the games to be played behind closed doors while the toilets and the water reticulation system were being attended to, an option that the league bosses could have seen unviable.
“The SRC did not close the stadium. What we had told the PSL is that they should continue playing their games but with no fans allowed in the stadium to allow the workmen to attend to the broken down toilets and the water reticulation system without disturbances.
“It’s something that we have been doing all along but had stopped recently. So following the outcry in the last two weeks, we wanted to speed up the work.
“The turf also need time to rehabilitate as it is now showing signs of damage due to overuse. So we had also suggested that they play two games per week, instead of four, to allow the grass to regenerate.
“We felt the games had to continue since they do not have enough stadiums but they made a decision to go on break,” said Nengomasha.
Stakeholders were caught off guard by the unexpected suspension of the games, as the PSL office had earlier this week confirmed fixtures for the coming weekend.
The big game between Highlanders and CAPS United, that was set for the National Sports Stadium, was the major highlight. CAPS United supporter, Richard Sande, who is probably one of the most colourful fans this season, was saddened by the development as he had already laid down plans for the game.
“I was really looking forward to the game against Bosso and had prepared an expensive regalia particularly for this game.
“It’s quite unfortunate we have to endure the next three weeks without local football at a time we were working hard to try and bring the supporters back to the stadium after Covid-19.
“At the same time, the situation at the stadium was not pleasing. Hopefully, everything will be sorted out on time,” he said. Popular Dynamos cheerleader Chris Romario Musekiwa, whose team had a date with Black Rhinos at the same venue on Saturday, also lamented the abrupt decision to suspend games.
“We had already made plans as supporters. It also disturbs the rhythm of the team because the players were beginning to gel. Remember we have a new team and it’s like they will have to start all over again,” said Musekiwa.
The other supporters also felt the affected clubs should have been made to look for alternative venues just like what the teams, whose home grounds failed inspection, have been doing.
Online Reporter