Teams want to know when outdoor training is likely to resume
Kaizer Chiefs and Bidvest Wits have asked the PSL to give clarity on when outdoor training should start, an indication that it’s all systems go for the restart of the suspended season.
Last week, Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa gave the go-ahead for the resumption of contact sport training under Alert Level 3 of the national lockdown following the suspension of sporting activities in March due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
It has been suggested that the PSL is ready to forge ahead with the fixtures in order to finish the COVID-19-hit season. With both sports physicist Dr Mahlane Phalane and Safa head of medical Dr Thulani Ngwenya in agreement that the proposed PSL player camp was an alternative in order to safeguard the players’ health, it seems this is the route the PSL is contemplating taking after meeting Safa earlier this week.
A Safa insider, however, told Sunday World that it was early days to even think of contact sport matches being played in the next coming weeks because South Africa was entering its winter season, a period in which the spread of the Coronavirus is most likely to reach its peak.
Our source, who didn’t want to be named because he is not mandated to speak to the media, said: “Obviously, training can start but not the playing of competitive matches. The problem is that the PSL has a position, which is to finish the season at all cost. Safa has a position being that contact sport cannot be played if the government has not given the go ahead.
“There are also the Fifa and CAF international standards regarding the medical health of the players to consider. The government has also emphasised that football, as a contact sport, cannot be allowed if social distancing rules are still in place, and distancing is impossible to avoid when playing football.’’
Continued the source: “The overriding issue is the health of the players. The government, Safa and the PSL have to nd each other rst before football, especially at professional level, is restarted.
“We cannot equate ourselves to Germany, England, Spain or Italy. Those countries in Europe have passed their winter season, ours is starting and that’s the time when the Coronavirus’ infections peak. We saw it happening in February-March in Europe.”
The PSL’s mooted player camp is meant to circumvent the issue of inter-provincial travel ,which is still forbidden under lockdown Level 3 regulations.
The camp would serve as a base for all 32 clubs – 16 from the Premiership and the other 16 from the National First Division – converging to start training in preparation for the resumption of the 2019/20 season halted by the pandemic.
As things stand, the Sun City resort in North West, with its more than ve luxurious hotels and surrounding motels, as well as sporting facilities, has been earmarked as one of the most suitable venues, but some have opposed the suggestion, preferring the base camp to be in Gauteng.
Engagements are continuing between Safa, the PSL, and the sports and health ministries to nd a way forward. Chiefs, who top the Premiership table, have a four-points lead against second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns (44 points).
Orlando Pirates share the third spot with SuperSport United – both on 40 points – while Maritzburg United sit on 39 points and Wits have 38 points.
