After its board of governors (BoG) meeting held today, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) resolved to suspend its league fixture programme due to the coronavirus that is plaguing the country.
The decision comes after the SA Football Association (Safa), as the country’s football controlling body, in no uncertain terms, urged all its members to suspend matches following a Fifa and CAF directive.
The PSL said in a statement that they “value the lives of all our people and view the health and safety of our players, staff and stakeholders as paramount” but would push to complete the current league season by June 30.
The PSL’s BoG, made up of chairmen of the 32 Premiership and national first division clubs, also announced that it had mandated its executive committee as well as a task team to deal with the logistics of completing the league on the stipulated date.
The PSL meeting was held with the minister of sports, arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa, and the ministry of health was consulted as well as the SA Police Service.
“Whilst our intention is to complete the season by no later than 30 June 2020 because of the exiting uncertainties in our country, we shall remain flexible,” the statement said.
Safa president Danny Jordaan announced on Thursday that their decision to suspend all matches would be adhered to and that no football activities would be held within the borders of the country until further notice, setting April 4 as the date the decision would be revisited.
The decision by Safa to pull the plug on all matches comes after the outbreak of the coronavirus that has led to the suspension and sometimes cancellation of sporting activities worldwide.
During the Safa announcement Jordaan was accompanied by the football mother body’s CEO Gay Mokoena and Safa’s head of medical Dr. Thulani Ngwenya, who gave a lowdown on the dangers of having players and spectators gathering in masses for a football game.
Jordaan said the decision to suspend matches was “final” until further notice and includes PSL matches.
