Despite being the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa, Gauteng is the National Soccer League’s preferred province for the completion of the ABSA Premiership and the GladAfrica Championship.
This was announced by Premier Soccer League chairman, Dr. Irvin Khoza, at a media briefing in Johannesburg today. He provided clarity on the process and progress made towards the completion of the 2019/2020 ABSA Premiership and GladAfrica Championship seasons.
Khoza has ended all speculation about where the remaining PSL and GladAfrica championship matches will be played.
“When we submitted our applications to the government it was the board of governors resolution that we gonna play all the games in Gauteng province and North West province but we did receive a very good pitch from KwaZulu-Natal which was considered by the task team. Unfortunately, because of the application that was submitted the venues were bid to be Gauteng or North West province. As we speak now the PSL has resorted to sticking to Gauteng only because of the advantage that it gives.”
Khoza says extra care has been taken by both SAFA and the PSL to make sure that they provide a safe environment for all the players, backroom staff and officials. He says one of the most stringent measures taken, was to have a bio-secure bubble where every player would be tested before entering a stadium.
In the video below, Premier Soccer League media briefing on 2019/2020 season resumption
“The issue of the epicentre and the issue of the lockdown was emphasising that we minimise the contact with crowds with gatherings now what we have provided. You know as a solution on the medically safe risk to make sure that we play in an environment that’s gonna assist. Whoever goes into the bubble must be tested first. If you are not negative you can’t go into the bubble, you cannot come out of the bubble.”
A date still has to be announced for the resumption of the leagues, but the PSL requires six weeks to complete the leagues and wants to do so by the end of August.
