Safa scrap date of ABC Motsepe League resumption over testing
Safa has scrapped the proposed resumption of the ABC Motsepe League on October 1 after sport minister Nathi Mthethwa instructed that there must be Covid-19 testing before the soccer league restarts.
At the weekend, Safa Eastern Cape secretary Isaac Klaas advised the media that the third tier division would resume on October 1.
However, there has been a change of plan.
A letter from Safa sent to clubs late on Monday, signed by acting chief executive officer Tebogo Motlanthe, said that on August 28 Mthethwa published a regulation that stipulated that all participants in non-professional football must undergo Covid-19 testing before any resumption could take place and, further, that playoffs should take place in a bio-bubble safety environment.
“In light of the above, the chairperson and deputy chairperson of the competitions committee have conferred and noted that the regulation presents significant implications for any consideration for resumption of the non-professional football before lockdown level 1,” the letter said.
“The matter will therefore be presented at the meeting for the national executive committee on September 12 for resolution.
“ABC Motsepe League clubs will be informed through the provincial secretaries that until then there should not be any resumption of training or matches.
“The only permitted activity is for players to train on their own at home in order to maintain the level of fitness for when non-professional football does resume.”
Safa head of competitions Thomas Sadiki said the instruction was straightforward.
“Now that they are implementing the issue of testing, that has to be managed to make sure that everything is done correctly,” he said.
“October 1 was the proposed date for the resumption of the league by Safa before the government issued us a command that there must be testing. By Saturday or Sunday people will know what will be the way forward.”