PSL to rule on Kaizer Chiefs- COVID-19 matter soon

The Premier Soccer League is hoping that it will be able to adjudicate this week on the Kaizer Chiefs/COVID-19 debacle.

Amakhosi failed to honour two of their matches against Cape Town City and Golden Arrows due to the high number of players that had tested positive for the virus.

The Soweto giants managed to put a team together for their 2-nil win over Sekhukhune United on Sunday.

PSL chairman Irvin Khoza took the opportunity to address recent issues surrounding the league during a special announcement.

First on the list was the Chiefs/Covid-19 matter. Amakhosi who had a huge rise in Covid-19 infections at their headquarters in Naturena, had made a request to the PSL to postpone five of their matches immediately after the outbreak.

However, the PSL did not respond to their request, which sparked debate within football circles. Although there had not been any official response from the league, discussions continue to take place to resolve the matter.

“I’m told that the meeting is going to take place here at the PSL whether it’s going to be the final date to adjudicate I don’t know it depends on the facts in front of us as an executive committee to put this thing to rest.  It’s urgent it’s important it creates a lot of uncertainty in the market but everything we do we do in the interest of all the teams of the PSL,” says PSL chairman Irvin Khoza.

Last week, two legal minds left the PSL. Khoza dismissed claims that the resignation of former prosecutor Nande Becker and head of legal, Michael Murphey, had to do with internal feuds.

“I’m not going to go into the details because as chairman of the league, I always act responsibly and make sure that with all the insinuations that always come up you must take it with a chin because you understand. Yes, there are resignations but those resignations were not a responsibility or cause of any one of us in the executive committee. We were not responsible. Very important to make that clear,” Khoza adds.

Meanwhile, the PSL is still waiting for the full reports on the incident that took place on the weekend at the Orlando Stadium. A scuffle broke out when TS Galaxy owner, Tim Sukazi, was denied entry to the change rooms before their two-nil defeat to Orlando Pirates.

DSTV Compact Cup

And the PSL has announced a new competition named the DSTV Compact Cup. It will be played from the 22nd to the 29th of January.

The tournament will be made up of four matches involving players from the 16 premier league clubs. Fans will get the opportunity to select their favourite PSL stars to play for regional combined teams.

“Every regional squad will consist of the same number of players, broken down from equal number of teams. To do the principle of equality was important, principle of development was important in terms of Diski challenge players. Then in terms of positions, there will be eight defenders eight midfielders and four forwards per squad that’s how the 20 names will be spread play two goalkeepers and four Diski challenge players,” says PSL Competitions Committee Chairman, Stan Mathews.

The venues and the scheduled times for the matches will be communicated in due course.