No special treatment for football

Eddie Chikamhi, Harare Bureau
THE Sports and Recreation Commission have said that Zifa’s application, for a special exemption for the resumption of football activities, will have to go through the normal processes before a decision is made.

Zifa have begun pushing for the Premier Soccer League clubs to begin training next Tuesday.

The football authorities have also proposed the 2020 season, which failed to get underway in March following the outbreak of the coronavirus, to start mid-October.

Sports Commission director-general, Prince Mupazviriho, yesterday told our sister paper The Herald that the application submitted by Zifa at the weekend had not reached his office yet but stressed the request will need to pass the test before the greenlight is given.

“I haven’t seen the request from Zifa yet but it is entirely up to them to apply for the exemptions. We have received similar applications from other disciplines, in the last few months and, obviously, the law applies equally to everyone,” said Mupazviriho.

“I am sure when we get the application, the request will be treated the same way we have been doing with all the others that have come to our office.

‘‘It will be assessed to see if they comply with the set guidelines and then a decision will be made.”

Football is one of the activities which have been placed in the high risk categories and remains banned by the Government under the Public Health (Covid-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) lockdown regulations.

However, industries across the board can still apply for exemptions and last week the Government gave the tourism sector the green light to reopen, after a five-month closure, owing to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zifa find themselves in a hurry to resume activities because of the pressure they anticipate following the return of international football in November this year when Zimbabwe are scheduled play back-to-back fixtures against Algeria in the 2021 Afcon qualifiers.

The domestic football leadership were almost caught flat-footed after Caf announced that clubs might not be obliged to release their players for the fixtures because of the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns and travel restrictions.

Zifa are keen to have the PSL up and running so that they will have a back-up plan, in the event that they fail to secure their foreign-based professionals.

The association’s spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela, yesterday confirmed they had lodged their request for the resumption of football with the Sports Commission.

“We have written to the Sports Commission to request for the resumption of football activities, starting with the training of PSL clubs on September 14 and then league games beginning by mid-October.

“We have highlighted, in our application, that we will adhere to the guidelines by the World Health Organisation, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Fifa, Caf and our own Zifa guidelines.

“So, we are now waiting for the response,” said Gwesela.

The PSL Medical Committee, led by former Warriors team doctor Edward Chagonda, have compiled a 13-page document for the Medical and Public Health Guidelines for Football which Zifa intend to enforce as the strategy for a safe return to football.

“The Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, through the Sports and Recreation Commission, has set out guidelines on the safe return of sport following the Covid-19 outbreak,” reads the introductory part of the PSL health guidelines document.

The measures adopted by the PSL and Zifa Medical Committees are meant to allow matches to be held in the current unique situation, with acceptable medical risks, for all those involved.

Testing shall be carried out on a continual basis.

Everyone involved in training and matchday operations should be tested.

“Decisions regarding the timing of the resumption of sporting activities (the ‘when’) must be made in close consultation with the Government of Zimbabwe and local public health authorities.

“The priority at all times must be to preserve the health of players, technical staff, general staff and fans through minimising the risk of community transmission.

“The framework provides a general guide, however decisions on when to implement each phase shall be made in close consultation with Government and local public health authorities.

“Preparation for football resumption includes educating players and other personnel, assessment of the sporting environment and agreement on training scheduling to accommodate social distancing.

“The approach to training should focus on ‘get in, train, get out’, minimising unnecessary contact in changing rooms, and communal areas. Use of bathrooms remain suspended.

“Prior to resumption, Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) have drawn up protocols to be applied on the management of Covid-19 infections among players and other personnel as well as prevention scenarios.’’