Johannesburg – The embattled Kaizer Chiefs is set to go against the Premier Soccer League (PSL)’s decision, after the South African top-flight announced that the Naturena side’s appeal has been set aside.
On Monday, the PSL made a jaw-dropping statement that it declined a request by Kaizer Chiefs to postpone their DStv Premiership matches due to reported cases of Covid-19 at their club’s village.
Last month, the Amakhosi appealed for their all their five matches set to be played this month to be postponed, after the club reported over 31 positive cases for the virus, in which later rose to 36.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Amakhosi released a statement to defend their decision, to not feature in their last two DStv Premiership clashes against Cape Town City and Golden Arrows.
Club Update: Chiefs to Lodge Appeal Against PSL Decision https://t.co/GiSTQcT6lY #Amakhosi4Life
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) December 21, 2021
Their statement read as follows:
“This increase in numbers indicates that our decision to close our headquarters was a justified and prudent attempt to protect even more people both within and outside our camp from being affected, and, importantly, fell within the established Department of Health protocols for containing an outbreak of Covid.
“On advice following consultations with the medical department and management after the initial outbreak in late November, it became evident that the team would not be able to honour their home fixture against Cape Town City on Saturday, 4 December, nor travel to Durban to face Lamontville Golden Arrows four days later.
“When the medical staff noted a decline in the infection rate and some staff returning to work from quarantine, we were able to honour the next match against Sekhukhune on 12 December.
“Kaizer Chiefs is disappointed and taken aback by the contrasting lack of urgency from the PSL after having taken almost three weeks to address the matter.
“The reason might be that the League did not have a Chief Medical Officer who could have advised those dealing with the issue from an NICD and Department of Health protocols perspective,” read the statement.
The club further said that it would not have benefited from the postponement in any way as it would have caused unnecessary fixture congestion later in the season for the Amakhosi.
According to the club’s letter, the team detailed that they are studying the feedback and will engage with their legal department for a review/
“Together with our legal team, we will have the view of appealing the “unjustifiable decision through the football mother body, the South African Football Association or the Dispute Resolution Committee,” a statement read.
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