The Sunday Mail
Sports Editor
AMID the huge shadow being cast on the start of the 2020 season, the Premier Soccer League remain adamant that there will be action before the year ends with chief executive Kenny Ndebele suggesting the nation can draw lessons from neighbours South Africa and Zambia on the safe return of the game. ZIFA had initially indicated that the delayed season would eventually get underway in September with a fresh pre-season for clubs being tentatively pencilled in for August.
That was before Government reviewed the lockdown restrictions and introduced a curfew following a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in the country.
And as August paves way for September, talk of the game actually starting has been pushed into the shade with a cold war between ZIFA and their affiliates over the disbursement of the Covid-19 relief funds availed by FIFA and CAF taking centre stage.
Ndebele acknowledged that the introduction of the curfew had pegged them back in terms of plans they had for a September start to the season. But the PSL chief executive also feels that the game’s leadership must come out of their shells and put in place protocols to be tabled before Government for football’s safe return.
“We were hoping that the pandemic would be under control by August but when the Government tightened the lockdown by introducing the curfew, we also had to slow down our push for a restart.“
“We have been trying to understand and assess the situation on the ground. But to be honest the whole domestic football family went on sleep mode and there was no action. The only issue raised by the clubs was the problem with expiring player contracts. We have engaged the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe so that we reach a consensus on expired or expiring contracts. We will issue a statement in due course,’’ Ndebele said.
He revealed that they had been following developments in Zambia and South Africa whose leagues resumed after months of lockdown.
“The lessons learnt are both positive and negative. The Zambian restart seemed clumsy and unco-ordinated. Stakeholders have to work together to produce a good product, not just bulldozing . . . the South African set up is one to follow.
“We may take a leaf from the way they restarted their competitions, off course television has come in handy for the SA Premiership. “As a league, we have to work on broadcasting of football matches. We are planning to restart training and possibly playing one or two competitions before the end of the year.“We have written to ZIFA requesting the adoption of the protocols by the relevant Government authorities after the PSL Sports Medicine Committee prepared draft Protocols,’’ said Ndebele.
Sports Medicine committee chairman Edward Chagonda also believes hope is not lost on football’s return.
The former Warriors doctor revealed that both the Government and his committee had begun different prevalence studies to establish the current state of the pandemic.
“There is still very much hope that football will be played even though we have missed the targeted start by a month. What we need to know is how much Covid-19 is in the country at the moment so that we can make decisions based on those prevalence studies and whether football as a contact sport can resume. The Ministry is also doing their bit and once we are ready we will start.
“CAF have already released some dates for competitions and people need to be in camp at least for the national teams’ training and there have been plans and funds set aside for that. We need a buy in from the clubs on the proposals and protocols that will be unveiled which will be in line with national guidelines and guidelines from FIFA and CAF,’’ Chagonda said.
He said his committee had been closely observing how other leagues had resumed.“There is Zambia, South Africa, Tanzania and Europe and we can take into cognisance what they are doing and what they are not doing and I am contacting other experts through our COSAFA platform so it is not a question of reinventing the wheel,’’ Chagonda said.
Ndebele said the FIFA financial aid would be critical in the resumption of football in the country.“We trust that with the availability of FIFA relief funds we will be able to meet the requirements to play football before the end of the year. It’s important for us to resume training so that our local players are eligible for selection in the national team and it is important to note that some foreign based teams may not release players for national duty.
“Every industry must present its case to Government authorities for approval. I think Tourism is already pushing for re-opening and airlines are doing the same. I am confident that once we submit our protocols to Government we will get a nod to resume training, the rest can follow after that. “I know there are lot of doubting Thomasses but the industry must soldier on and get approval to start training,’’ he said.
Another ZIFA affiliate, the Northern Region, have also not folded their arms while ‘waiting for the rain’ with Martin Kweza and his leadership stepping up their preparations for possible start of competitions. Northern Region, whose Ruyamuro Service Stations Division One League is the only branded of the country’s four regions, are this week expected to unveil a corporate partner for their Coach of the Month award. They have already written a piece of history by securing sponsorship from Ruyamuro for the Coach of the Year gong, which comes with it a motor vehicle. Cranborne Bullets gaffer Nesbert “Yabo’’ Saruchera was the inaugural winner.
