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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
The Sports and Recreation Commission this week communicated the 18-point Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to be followed by national sports associations (NSAs) for them to resume activities after government lifted the suspension of all sport and recreation.
Top among the requirements is PCR testing of all athletes and officials at least 48 hours prior to commencement of training.
Thereafter, PCR testing must be done after every 14 days.
The same procedures are to be adopted for competition and friendlies.
Testing is also to be done at least 48 hours before games and teams must keep a logbook of all athletes and associated sport staff entering and exiting the stadia.
The logbooks will be open to inspection by SRC enforcement officers at any time within 30 days after the event.
Fans will not be allowed just as is the case around the world.
However, what hasn’t really been addressed is media coverage.
Is the media in the same bracket with ‘fans’?
If media coverage is allowed, will individual NSAs be responsible for ensuring members of media also adhere to the SOPs such as testing or each media house is responsible for its reporters.
Two journalists from Kick Off and Soccer Laduma indicated that they had not been physically attending football matches, with everything being done virtually.
“Everything here is done virtually via various platforms, especially Zoom for pre and post match interviews and when one wants critical information just before kick-off, media officers are always available.. Team sheets are flighted in various platforms at least two hours before the game gets underway. A plus for us is that most of our games are broadcast live on television, which makes it easier, especially for blow by blow match reporting,” said Lovemore Moyo from Kick Off.
The same sentiments were echoed by Masebe Qina of Soccer Laduma, who said only those whose organisation enjoy broadcasting rights are allowed into the stadia.
“We were never part of the bubble. Only a selected few people who work for television were part of it and since March last year, we haven’t been to the stadia,” said Qina.
With the SRC telling the media during a virtual press conference this week that the bubble concept has been abandoned, the media remain in the dark about whether they will be allowed to cover sporting activities since no local sport enjoys television broadcast.
Online Reporter