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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
FOLLOWING suspension of football in South Africa and Botswana, the Premier Soccer League say they will stand guided by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in the wake of the threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak.
The Absa Premiership was yesterday suspended indefinitely, until a board of governors meeting is held on Thursday, to decide the issue.
Yesterday, PSL chairman, Irvin Khoza, emerged from an emergency meeting to announce the suspension of matches scheduled for this week.
“Games (scheduled to be) played tomorrow and Wednesday, and on the weekend are all suspended,’’ said Khoza.
“There will be a follow-up meeting on Thursday, 19 March, to discuss the developments.’’
Botswana Football Association also suspended all football activities in that country until April 10.
According to the Botswana media, the association’s executive meeting held a meeting on March 12 to discuss, and assess the coronavirus pandemic situation‚ and decided to suspend all football activities until mid-April.
“Coronavirus has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation and, therefore, the Association has taken a decision to temporarily suspend all football activities until 10 April‚ 2020.
“The health and well-being of our players‚ supporters and stakeholders‚ and those involved in the operation of football matches‚ is of utmost importance‚” read the statement.
This decision will affect the Botswana Premier League‚ First Division North League‚ First Division South League‚ Women Football Association and all Regional Football Associations in Botswana.
COSAFA also took a stance when they announced the postponement of the COSAFA Women’s Under-17 Championship set for April 17-26 in Mauritius.
Zimbabwe’s Young Mighty Warriors were drawn in the same group with South Africa and Zambia.
The tournament was expected to run from April 17 to 26 in Mauritius.
The Castle Lager Premiership is yet to commence, amid indications it will kick off once the league has signed with their sponsor Delta Beverages and unveiled the package.
According to the PSL, the unveiling of the sponsorship package is imminent.
After the signing ceremony, the fixtures for the 2020 season are then expected to be released.
PSL’s sponsorship deal with Delta Beverages expired last year and a new package has been secured.
League spokesperson, Kudzai Bare, said they cannot say much about the coronavirus outbreak since their league hasn’t started.
The country is also yet to record a single case of COVID-19.
“We stand guided by the Ministry of Health on that matter and that is all we can say,’’ she said.
The PSL proposed start was also delayed when two teams, who were given Friday the 13th deadline, to pay an affiliation fee of $208 000.
Premiership newboys Whawha, Tenax and Bulawayo City were given seven days to put their house in order or risk PSL expulsion.
By last Friday, only Bulawayo City had paid their affiliation fees.
Tenax made a party payment and yesterday they were expected to transfer the remainder of the amount.
Their fellow Zimbabwe Prison Services side, Whawha, have not paid even a cent.
Bare said the league will issue out a full statement on the plight of the clubs.
Whawha chairperson, Watson Matara, told The Herald their prospective sponsor had let them down.
“The company that was supposed to pay informed us late on Friday that they were no longer in a position to sponsor the club,’’ he said. “They said the economic environment is not friendly and they are no longer in a position to help us.
“We are confident that we can pull through.
“We have engaged other sponsors and we believe the PSL should understand and bear with us.
“We have a strong team and have adequately prepared and we don’t even have to worry about relegation.’’
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