Kaizer Chiefs’ failure to honour fixture throws PSL schedule into disarray amid Covid-19 Omicron variant spark in Gauteng province
Premier Soccer League (PSL) executives will meet on Monday to further discuss Kaizer Chiefs’ failure to honour their DStv Premiership fixture against Cape Town City over the weekend.
Amakhosi released a lengthy statement last Friday, stating that no less than 31 members of the organisation had tested positive for Covid-19, with the new variant taking its toll on the Gauteng province.
Chiefs then closed down their training facilities, asking the PSL to postpone the rest of their December domestic league matches as all staff and players went into the mandatory 10-day isolation period.
A deliberation took place on Friday, but the PSL executives could not come to an agreement, which meant the regular weekend fixture schedule remained.
Cape Town City pitched up to a locked FNB Stadium ahead of the 18:00 kick-off on Saturday, with the match officials checking all the necessary player cards for approval, while Chiefs did not show up.
Meanwhile, according to the SowetanLIVE website, there are suggestions that the PSL may bring a stop to the “entire programme” as Chiefs have clearly stated they would only return to training once their medical team has given the all-clear.
The PSL is already set for a month-long break from 23 December until mid-February 2022 due to the Africa Cup of Nations starting in early January.
“After recovering (from Covid), you need to retest. Your test needs to be negative… then you need at least 10 days where you have to have no symptoms. From there, you can graduate to full training,” said the South African Football Association’s (SAFA) chief medical officer Thulani Ngwenya.
“We don’t recommend that you must play immediately after the 10 days. In the first week after recovery, you do minimal activities; after three days, you can increase your activities. We must always be careful because we are talking about the lives of people here.”
Earlier this year, GladAfrica Championship outfit Cape Umoya also requested a postponement of their fixture against Cape Town Spurs following a high number of Covid-19 cases within the club’s ranks.
However, the PSL did not oblige, and Umoya had to honour their fixture. They did not show up for the match, and the PSL gave Spurs a 3-0 simulation victory.
The verdict from Monday’s meeting will be a fascinating case for the league, whether they will give Chiefs a similar sanction as City did honour the fixture.
