Football is back
THE Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) yesterday gave the greenlight to more sport codes to resume, with soccer teams allowed to go ahead with their Chibuku Super Cup tournament halted last week following a ban on public gatherings due to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases.
The commission said cricket and rugby were some of the spot codes permitted to resume but made it clear that they would be allowed to resume only specified activities, with football being limited to the Chibuku Super Cup tournament and the upcoming regional Cosafa tournament next month. The Warriors were given the nod to camp in preparation for the tournament.
The Zimbabwe Rugby Union and the Zimbabwe Cricket were restricted to international engagements. The Bangladesh men’s cricket team tour of Zimbabwe was also allowed to proceed as per schedule.
ZC later released a statement stressing that the Bangladesh tour will now be confined to Harare.
The lone Test match had been scheduled to take place in Bulawayo, while the limited overs were to be contested in Harare.
The SRC statement read: “The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) is pleased to inform the public that nine sports codes have been granted an exemption to resume specific activities in order to fulfil critical international and domestic tournaments.
“The relevant NSA’s are being informed in writing by the SRC. These approvals include fixtures related to national teams from the Zimbabwe Rugby Union and the Zimbabwe Cricket. The Zimbabwe Football Association has also been granted authority to resume the Chibuku Super Cup League games and to undertake training camps for the national football teams in preparation for their participation in the Cosafa Cup in July 2021.
“The detailed list is as follows:
Zimbabwe Rugby Union (a) Zimbabwe Rugby Union officials to travel to Kenya, Uganda and Ivory Coast to officiate matches from June 24 to July 19, 2021.”
The Sables’ trips to Portugal and Tunisia have been okayed.
Zimbabwe 15s Rugby (Sables) team to travel to:
(i) Portugal for international friendly matches from June 28 to July 3, 2021.
(ii) Tunisia for Rugby Africa Cup qualifying tournament from July 8-19, 2021.
(iii) Zimbabwe 15s Rugby (SablesWomen’s) team to travel to Uganda for international test matches against Uganda from July 14-28, 2021.
● Zimbabwe Cricket
(a) Bangladesh men’s cricket team tour of Zimbabwe to proceed as originally scheduled from July 7-27, 2021.
Zimbabwe Under-19 cricket team to play in a quadrangular cricket tournament in South Africa from July 5-26 2021.
● Zimbabwe Football Association
a) The Chibuku Super Cup League matches to resume.
(b) Commencement of training camps for the national football teams to prepare for the 2021 Cosafa Cup in July 2021.
● Zimbabwe Shooting Federation
(a) Zimbabwe Shootists to travel and participate in the Africa Level IV Handgun Championships, which will take place at the Frontier Shooting Range, Stilfontein, South Africa, from July 9-12, 2021.
● National Athletic Association of Zimbabwe
(a) Zimbabwe men’s and women’s relay teams to participate in the International Relay tournament to be held in Lagos, Nigeria from June 18-21, 2021.
● Zimbabwe Aquatic Union
(a) The Bulawayo swimming team to travel and participate in the PEA Winter Gala, Port Elizabeth, South Africa scheduled for July 9-11, 2021.
● Zimbabwe Golf Association
(a) Hellenic Academy Golf team to travel and participate in the Sun City Golf tournament in South Africa from July 19-25 2021.
● Zimbabwe National Bass Federation
(a) Hosts the 2021 Region V Bass tournament from July 24-30 2021.
● Zimbabwe Volleyball Association
Zimbabwe beach volleyball referees to officiate in the Confederation of African beach volleyball tournament from June 19-28, 2021 in Morocco.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no rugby, football or any other sporting activities are to resume other than for those purposes specifically exempted above.”
The Chibuku Super Cup tournament, the biggest knockout football tournament whose winners earn the right to participate in the Caf Confederation Cup tournament had reached the halfway stage of the group phase when the ban was announced.
It is likely that teams will immediately resume training with matches coming next week.
After the group stages, the tournament will move to the quarter, semi-finals and the final.
Thereafter, Zifa will seek permission for the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League to start.
The league had been tentatively set to start in July but that is likely to be altered.