All football suspended indefinitely, says Khoza
• PSL chair hopes elite and second tier leagues can be completed; English leagues can go beyond June 1
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) have confirmed they will continue their suspension of matches until further notice in response to the coronavirus outbreak in SA.
The decision‚ announced by PSL chair Irvin Khoza‚ was taken after a six-hour meeting of the league’s board of governors (BoG) on Thursday.
The PSL’s BoG had presentations from government departments including deputy minister of health Joe Phaahla and the ministry of safety & security.
“At this point as the board of governors we endeavour to make sure that all issues of compliance are complied with‚” Khoza said.
The PSL on Monday had initially postponed just the current week’s matches pending Thursday’s BoG meeting.
Khoza admitted the league had financial obligations to its sponsors and broadcast partners. “The important thing now is to concentrate on the human capital‚” he said.
The PSL’s decision falls in line with the SA Football Association’s (Safa’s) directive made on Wednesday that football be suspended.
Safa’s suspension is until April 4. Khoza said the PSL would form a committee to establish the length of the suspension. He said the league still hoped to complete their topflight Premiership and secondtier GladAfrica Championship leagues by June 30.
Earlier Safa president Danny
Jordaan made it clear that the international precedent had shown matches played without fans had not been effective in stopping the spread of coronavirus. “It’s like a plane taking off‚ this virus‚” Jordaan said. “It goes slowly when the plane is on the ground‚ and then it takes to the air‚ and then it skyrockets. And if it’s at a height it may be out of control.
“So we have to stop that plane on the ground. Before it takes off. Otherwise we will be in trouble.
“As far as the broadcasting and commercial partners‚ we will meet with them and explain that we have to put the health of the players first.”
Safa chief medical officer Thulani Ngwenya said the association had a responsibility to play its part in stopping the spread of coronavirus‚ given SA’s high number of immunodeficient people‚ high living density and the potential for the health system to collapse.
Jordaan said a suspension of football in SA followed an international precedent.
English football would be suspended until at least April 30 due to the coronavirus crisis, but the current season could be extended indefinitely, the English game’s governing bodies said in a joint statement.
The Football Association, Premier League, EFL and women’s professional game bodies, with player and manager associations, agreed on Thursday to extend the formal end-date for the 2019/2020 season in a bid to complete the campaign.
“We are united in our commitment to finding ways of resuming the 2019/20 football season and ensuring all domestic and European club league and cup matches are played as soon as it is safe and possible
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to do so,” the organisations said.
Last week all elite soccer matches in England, including the Premier League, Football League (EFL) and Women’s Super League (WSL), were suspended until April 4.
With non-league, youth and amateur football having also subsequently suspended play, the English game is in a state of total shutdown.
European soccer’s governing body Uefa agreed on Tuesday to postpone the Euro 2020 tournament for a year, clearing space in the calendar for domestic competitions to finish if the public health situation allows.
FA rules say the season should end by June 1, but the decision was taken to extend it beyond that date.