Chronicle Editor
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
PLANS are on for the hosting of a football tournament involving the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League with costs of setting up a bio-bubble being a major hindrance.
A bio-bubble is a safe and secure environment for players and officials that is closed from the outside world to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infection. In a meeting between Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation, Kirsty Coventry and ministry officials, the Zifa board, PSL executive and Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), it emerged creating a safe environment for the return of the country’s most popular sport was the biggest challenge.
SRC director-general, Prince Mupazviriho said they were concerned about the safety of players hence they would not rush to allow football to resume. He said the Ministry was in agreement for the game to start but questions over the footing of Covid-19 testing bill for players and officials was the main issue on the table. Mupazviriho said they considered how other leagues were running with testing of players before and after games being a priority.
“We need a safe environment for the players as you know football is a high risk sport because it’s a contact sport and there has to be testing of players before and after games and this is not just the rapid test but a Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) one and for us the question is how will the costs be met. We are considering the submissions from both PSL and Zifa and we will be making our determination soon.”
The cost of a single PCR test from private medical practitioners is approximately US$60 in the country. Zifa submitted proposals and protocols on the participation in international friendlies leading to the Afcon qualifier against Algeria and the preparation for the Mighty Warriors to take part in the Cosafa Championship in early November. Mupazviriho said they had also engaged the PSL over champions, FC Platinum’s request to start training ahead of the resumption of Caf Champions League matches.
Zifa spokesman, Xolisani Gwesela declined to comment on the meeting only stating that they will wait for Government to pronounce measures required to get football back.
“We will be guided by Government,” he said.
An official who attended the meeting said Zifa presented a US$1.1 million budget to the Ministry for the hosting of two tournaments for the PSL and Women’s Super League but were told Government does not have the money to foot the bill.
Zifa and PSL were asked to find other sources of funding with the latter said to have agreed to engage sponsors while the former will foot part of the costs from the bailout funds, they were granted by Fifa.
“It was a cordial meeting with both sides agreeing to the need for a safe return of the sport. Government wants a bio-bubble to be implemented to ensure the safety of the players but that can only be done when we are having a short competition such as a tournament and not a league. The tournaments could be held between November and December and while the start of the league could be next year in February,” said the official who declined to be named.
The official said it was agreed there would be a need to come up with a unique Zimbabwe approach as costs are likely to be prohibitive to follow the European standard of testing players before and after every game. The tournaments are going to be used to evaluate various strategies that can then be implemented once the league gets into full swing.
Bongani Ndlovu