City’s refusal to play Chiefs could delay PSL’s conclusion

Cape Town City’s apparent refusal to play their Premiership fixture with Kaizer Chiefs is threatening to delay the end of the current Premier Soccer League (PSL) season.

Following a leak of the PSL’s Circular No 16 to clubs this week about the two matches against City and Golden Arrows that Chiefs sought postponement for in December, the Citizens have denied they agreed to replay the fixture.

Chiefs couldn’t honour those fixtures due to a Covid-19 outbreak at Naturena, with more than 50 people testing positive for the deadly virus.

SA Football Association (Safa) arbitrator Advocate Nazeer Cassim SC ruled in favour of Chiefs and ordered the two matches to be replayed, but the PSL took the matter to the Gauteng High Court and the outcome is yet to be delivered.

In the leaked document, the PSL said the matter will be heard on May 10, adding it has been agreed that no party will seek to interdict the finalisation of the 2022 professional football season regardless of the outcome handed down by the high court.

“If the league is successful in the review application, the log will be readjusted to reflect the outcome as if the matches had not been played,” reads part of the leaked document.

“If Kaizer Chiefs is successful in the review application, then the log will reflect the outcome of the replayed matches. Kaizer Chiefs accepts that, even if the review application is heard after the matches are replayed the matter will not be moot.”

The season is scheduled to end on May 21.

However, City have come out guns blazing and stated clearly that they are not in agreement with what the PSL said in the document. In a statement, the Capetonians said they reserve the right as a club to defend their position in this matter.

“Regrettably it has been brought to our attention that Circular No 16 of the National

Soccer League has become a public document, which leaves us no alternative but to declare that we distance ourselves from its content,” City said.

“The insinuations that we are party to or part of this decision is untrue. We categorically do not agree to this process and have responded in writing to the league and the parties on two occasions now, reserving our rights as a club to defend our position in this matter.”

PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu said he wasn’t aware of the leaked document as it’s about the executive committee of the league and he is not part of the committee.

Attempts to get comment from PSL acting CEO Mato Madlala were unsuccessful.

PSL media officer Fhatuwani Mpfuni said the league doesn’t know who leaked the document and couldn’t provide further information.