Chippa move venue for CTC game again
THE MATCH WILL REVERT BACK TO THE SIZA DUKASHE STADIUM, EAST LONDON
Chippa United’s home clash with Cape Town City is back on at the Siza Dukashe stadium in Mdantsane on Sunday, but the Premier Soccer League are denying they originally stepped in to stop the team using the venue.
Last week Chippa issued a statement in the name of their chairman Siviwe Mpengesi, which said the game against Benni McCarthy’s team was being taken from the East London township and moved to Port Elizabeth.
“The club has made a decision to move games from Sisa Dukashe to Absa Stadium for this season after the ground could not meet the required PSL standards,” said Mpengesi, whose club’s main venue is the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
“The game between ourselves and Cape Town City scheduled for Sunday 22 October that was due to take place at Sisa Dukashe will now be moved to Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
“We apologise to our beloved fans, particularly those in the Buffalo City Metro Municipality and surrounding areas for any inconvenience this decision might have caused.”
However, there was a sudden turnabout days after Chippa claimed the PSL had suddenly passed the venue fit for use.
But PSL chief operating officer Ronnie Schloss denied there had been any dictate that the venue be shut. “We never said they can’t play there,” he said yesterday.
Why Chippa United saw fit to make the threat and then change their mind is unclear. The club have a financial agreement with the Eastern Cape government to play selected matches in East London.
They first used the stadium last December and again in the second half of last season, when a large turnout contrasted with poor attendances elsewhere in the Premier Soccer League.