PSL resolutions on abandoned matches

**Players and supporters look on at Ascot Stadium in Gweru after one of the goalposts fell during a Dynamos and Chapungu match in June**

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Premier Soccer League has made changes to its statutes that will see all abandoned matches for reasons of force majeure, and in particular for poor pitch conditions and/or bad weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances being played within 72 hours.

The resolutions were made yesterday at the Premier Soccer League’s emergency committee meeting held in Harare.

This came after a rather embarrassing incident in which the league took more than a month to decide on the abandoned league match involving Chapungu United and Dynamos at Ascot Stadium on June 18.

The Gweru match was abandoned in the 56th minute after a goal post fell and could not be re-erected.

The referee of the day had to call off the encounter with the Harare giants leading 4-0.

In a statement on the resolution on abandoned matches, the PSL said;

“If a match is abandoned after kick-off for reasons of force majeure, and in particular for poor pitch conditions and/or bad weather conditions deemed by the referee or unforeseen circumstances that are not covered by these regulations, the remaining match time must be played within 72 hours at the same venue or alternative venue.

“If not possible the match shall be played at a venue to be determined by the league using its discretion. The match will resume at the minute where it was interrupted (instead of being replayed in its entirety), and with the same score.”

The league further stated that the match resumes with the same players on the field and the same available substitutes when the game was interrupted.

No further substitutions will be added to the summoned list of players and the teams will only be allowed to use the number of substitutions remaining when the game was interrupted.

“Players sent off during the abandoned match cannot be replaced and the number of players in the starting line-up remains as it was when the match was abandoned.

“The match must restart on the same spot where the abandoned match action occurred. If the match was stopped during the normal flow of the game, a drop ball on the spot where it was abandoned shall be used to restart,” read the PSL statement released last night. — @skhumoyo2000.