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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA and the Premier Soccer League have said they are ready to hit the ground running to get football activities back on track, with the top-flight competitions expected as early as next month.
Premiership teams are expected to go on a four-week pre-season ahead of the resumption of the Chibuku Super Cup and the start of the Castle Lager Premiership, early next month.
Lower divisions and junior football leagues are also expected to prepare for resumption after two years of inactivity.
ZIFA spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela, said football has had a tough time.
“We received a circular from the Sports Commission which was not specific to football, but to all sports in general.
“As the football family, we welcome this latest development since we had gone for almost two years, without meaningful football activities, taking place.
“This has been the most challenging period for football and I must say Covid-19 impacted negatively on the development of the game in Zimbabwe.
“So, this announcement by the Sports Commission will go a long way in ensuring that our national teams are better prepared, for regional and international events.’’
Gwesela said ZIFA will be strict in the observance of Covid-19 health protocols.
“We will not take chances, don’t forget the business side of football, which also took a heavy bashing,’’ he said.
“It is a fact that football contributes to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Football employs a lot of people, some as players, officials and technical partners.
“These guys bore the brunt of the absence of football in the last two years, and the return of the game is a welcome relief.
“So, we would want to appeal to our members, and all the stakeholders involved, that players and members of staff should be fully vaccinated, by the time we start.’’
The Premier Soccer League leadership yesterday reached out to their sponsors at Delta Beverages, to chat the way forward.
“This is the best news that I have heard in a long while,’’ said PSL chairman, Farai Jere. “As PSL, I believe we have always been ready for football.
“We played the Chibuku Super Cup, under strict Covid-19 protocols, and it was largely a success before the third wave came in.
“We are excited with the Government’s decision. We would want to hit the ground running because the country has been starved of football for a long time.’’
The Castle Lager Premiership games are expected to be played alternately, with the second round, of the Chibuku Super Cup.
It now looks likely the season will spill into next year, with a break expected between January and February for the AFCON finals, in Cameroon.
PSL spokesperson, Kudzai Bare, said the league was looking forward to the football restart.
“The Chibuku Super Cup is definitely going to resume from where we left off and then our league will be played this year,’’ said Bare.
“We will have the dates and the finer details once everything is finalised with the board of governors and the sponsors.
“As PSL, we are happy that football is back. We will stand guided by the health guidelines as stated by the Sports Commission.
“We will sit down with clubs to see the best way forward. The good thing is that most of the clubs know what is expected of them and have had their players and officials vaccinated.
“The response to vaccination has been very encouraging.
“Remember this has been a voluntary exercise so what we may need to do is to find out if there are still any one out there that are yet to be vaccinated.’’
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