Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
WHILE the Premier Soccer League is working on measures for the return of the game, the league’s chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele has said they are fully aware that football is not an essential service, therefore domestic football will only resume once the Government deems safe to do so.
Ndebele said while they are busy with mapping the return of football, which has been on hold since last year because of the coronavirus, they appreciate that the sport is not an indispensable service and can only resume when it is harmless to do so. He made it clear that whatever they are doing is in preparation for a return when permission has been granted.
“Football is not an essential service, we have failed to present ourselves as an industry, we have presented ourselves from an emotional point not a practical one. We are preparing for a restart when the Government sees it convenient for us to do so. We must not mislead people and say we are pushing for a restart, what we are doing is preparing to restart when we have been advised by the Government that is it safe to do so,’’ Ndebele said.
The PSL head of secretariat said they do not want to resume football and then cause problems in the country’s fight against Covid-19. Another challenge is how the PSL will reach fans and sponsors since even if football is to make a return, it is highly likely be to played in empty stadiums.
“We don’t want to restart football and cause problems in terms of the fight against Covid-19. It will take time for the fans to get back on the terraces. If we are given permission without ways of reaching the fans and the sponsor, it will be a futile exercise,’’ he said.
PSL clubs have been asked to provide feedback on the draft document to be submitted to the Zimbabwe Football Association for onward transmission to the Sports and Recreation Commission. A draft document that was sent to the 18 clubs was leaked but Ndebele said the final paper will reflect inputs from the stakeholders and should be ready by the end of this week.
“That was just a draft, it was not meant for the public, it was just a framework meant for the 18 board of governors.
All the clubs are meant to have an input, a few clubs have responded so far, by the end of the week we will have a document that would have been submitted to Zifa for onward transmission to the SRC,’’ he said.
According to Ndebele, the final document must be able to convince the authorities to give a greenlight for the return of the domestic game.
“The document will be more detailed. Because of the input that we are getting, there will be new additions, subtractions expansions. It will have more details such that we get approval.”
He further stated that they are consulting other leagues and got some of the documents from the World Leagues Forum on the procedures to be followed in terms of football return taking into account the Covid-19 situation.
Among other issues, the league was proposing to start off with a tournament. Since the PSL has 18 clubs dotted around the country, to restart football, the league was proposing a competition to be introduced where intercity or inter-provincial travelling is minimised for the purpose of reducing the spread of Covid-19. Under the plan, teams will be placed into four based in Harare, Mutare/Mhondoro Ngezi, Bulawayo and Zvishavane.
The teams shall play a round robin competition over a period of four to five weeks where winners of the respective groups will proceed to the semi-finals. Winners will meet in the final match to be staged at the venue to be agreed with the sponsors and all the matches shall be played behind closed doors.
PSL also plans to request US$100 000 from part of Fifa’s Covid-19 relief funds sent to Zifa to pay staff salaries, rentals, stadium inspections, television production costs and other administrative costs. Furthermore, the PSL is planning to get into talks with Delta Beverages to sponsor the competition. — @Mdawini_29.
Online Reporter