PSL to propose single ‘camp’ to finish season
Plan being drawn up to present to the government for play to restart in July
● The Premier Soccer League (PSL) is proposing a massive single camp for all soccer clubs in a bid to complete the 2019-20 season.
The plan proposes that clubs assemble and be accommodated in a camp and stay together in a venue that will be a biologically safe environment where a strict health regimen will be followed.
The plan is for all 32 teams, 16 Absa Premiership and 16 GladAfrica National First Division.
Two insiders with intimate knowledge of the discussions told the Sunday Times that it was unclear whether all 32 teams will be housed in one base.
“In the event of the government giving them the go-ahead, they will then look at provinces where they can set it up. They will have to look at the availability of training grounds, venues where people can play as well as accommodation,” said one.
“I understand they don’t want to be in one province. They will look whether it will be two provinces, one for each league. They are careful to make sure that nothing goes wrong because this will be a massive operation.
“The goal is to leave no stone unturned to make sure that the department of health and the government give the thumbs-up to the plan,” said another.
The PSL is hoping to be granted permission for resumption of play as the government gears up to ease lockdown measures from stage four to three.
Major European leagues have also embarked on the road to complete their seasons. The German Bundesliga returned to play yesterday with clubs playing at their home stadiums behind closed doors.
Spain has started the countdown to follow suit with clubs returning to training and La Liga targeting playing without spectators from June 12.
The English Premier League is grappling with mapping a way to get Project Restart moving, with teams wrestling over whether to play at home or in neutral venues.
Contained in the National Soccer League (NSL) Covid-19 health and safety guidelines beyond the confines of match day are regulations stipulating steps for clubs on travelling and gaining access to the base.
The approach to completing the season involves the league securing a base in a region which is safe, appropriately screening and quarantining all those who will enter the safe environment.
These include a single-person room policy, with no congregating in common spaces such as lounges and meeting rooms within the hotel grounds and the facilities in the safe environment.
There will be no uncontrolled interactions between players, staff, media and officials at the team hotel.
Teams and staff will be tested and screened for Covid-19 before travelling to the base in the safe environment.
Importantly, it pinpoints the protocol that will be followed in case someone tests positive for Covid-19.
It also proposes how living environment, movement of participants (all those who play any role in respect of matches behind closed doors), including daily monitoring by reducing external contact, will be carefully regulated.
It further declares that the executive committee will be issuing a binding NSL Covid19 health and safety directive match day protocol whose guidelines are broader, “dealing
Clubs stay together in a biologically safe environment
with matters beyond match day, and should be read together with the plans and mechanisms your club already has in place”.
The document was submitted to the department of sport and the South African Football Association (Safa) last weekend.
The document was discussed in the PSLSafa joint liaison committee meeting on Tuesday.
A committee of 12 members, six from the PSL and the same number from Safa, was formed on Tuesday and will report back in 14 days with a final plan to take to the government for the resumption of play at the beginning of July.