Kaizer Chiefs are anxiously waiting on a decision from the Premier Soccer League. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
BREAKING: Could Chiefs be charged for PSL no-shows?
The PSL’s EXCO has backed the decision to decline Kaizer Chiefs’ request to have their December matches postponed.
Kaizer Chiefs are anxiously waiting on a decision from the Premier Soccer League. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Kaizer Chiefs have been anxiously waiting on a decision from the Premier Soccer League after they missed two matches this month.
Chiefs took an emergency decision to temporarily close the club’s headquarters in Naturena in the wake of a severe Covid-19 outbreak that affected more than 35 employees as it swept through the camp in early December.
As a result, Chiefs were unable to fulfil their fixtures against Cape Town City and Golden Arrows, but were eventually able to put a team together to play Sekhukhune United at the FNB Stadium recently.
The league hadn’t officially commented on Chiefs’ initial request for all their DStv Premiership fixtures in December to be postponed, while there’d been no word over whether the two missed matches will be re-scheduled.
However, it’s now been confirmed that Chiefs could not prove that there were “exceptional circumstances” for their request to have matches postponed approved.
It now remains to be seen what action will be taken as a result of Chiefs failing to fulfil the two missed fixtures, with some suggesting that there could be a legal showdown if they are officially charged.
The PSL will next host a press conference on 5 January 2022 to address the saga, and will not make any further comment until then.
At a recent press briefing on Monday, PSL boss Irvin Khoza finally spoke about the matter and described it as a complicated matter.
“I think it is very important that the public expects a response from the league on the matter that affects Kaizer Chiefs.
“I think it’s very important that it is not an easy matter. It is a matter that was dealt by with the football department. And was escalated to the executive committee. It requires a lot of attention to detail to adjudicate this matter. It must be seen to give a thorough evaluation and process.
“We’re a rules-based organisation. Everything is easy because we just refer to the manual or the rulebook for answers. But there are situations that occur in normal life to apply our mind, especially in a matter that’s got a lot of debate on life and livelihoods.
“We’ll convene in what will be our fifth meeting tomorrow because we met Thursday on this matter and we referred the matters back to the office, once it was adjourned. I’m told that we’ll get the final information that we require, today if possible. If not, tomorrow.”
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Prior to playing Sekhukhune United, Amakhosi stated that it had been extremely challenging to field a new-look team.
“With a sizable number of the Amakhosi ranks still in isolation, several Reserve Team players who tested negative for Covid-19 have been called upon to work with the Senior Team members as they prepare for the upcoming match against Sekhukhune United. These young players were released November after their last fixture due to the DStv Diski Challenge being on recess.
“This was to enable them to focus on their final year examinations. Ten of the players were called up to the under-20 national team for Cosafa Championship – the tournament set to take place in Eswatini was later postponed following a surge in the number of infections,” a statement read.
“Given that the few unaffected senior team players and the juniors stopped training, and went into quarantine as per the NICD and the Department of Health protocols, the medical team and the coaches will monitor their condition very closely to ensure they are healthy enough to play. And, with such a limited pool of players available, we have to also attempt to avoid injuries at all costs,” said Kaizer Chiefs Physician Dr Hashendra Ramjee.
“Albeit under constrained circumstances, a decision from the Premier Soccer League regarding our application is pending.”
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