Completion of local soccer season left hanging in the balance

The completion of the 2019/20 local football season has been left hanging in the balance with the Premier Soccer League and the South African Football Association still struggling to find middle ground.

The league and the governing body have been at loggerheads for some time now and acting PSL CEO Mato Madlala has revealed that the league’s board are yet to meet and discuss Safa’s proposed August start due to their original plan being thrown out of the window by Safa.

“Our statement stated that the members of the Board of Governors want the chairman to engage with the sponsors, broadcasters and government that was going to host us. The chairman is busy with that process.

“For now, we haven’t taken any decision. We haven’t met to consider that (Safa’s proposed date). The chairman will engage our stakeholders and then we will take it from there,”

Madlala told IOL.

PSL go back to drawing board after Safa referees hurdle

NSL Board of Governors Media Release: pic.twitter.com/4ZKQLNUv2D

— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) July 14, 2020

Referees conundrum

The only remaining stumbling block in the return of football in the country is the readiness of the match officials which falls under Safa’s governance.

Madlala has revealed that Safa’s dubious decision to have referees ready by the first week of August has brought the PSL’s entire plan of salvaging the season to a standstill.

“We don’t have match officials. It is Safa that needs to provide match officials. If they are saying they are not available for whatever reason, even though the referees are telling us that they are available, it is difficult. We don’t know how to start tackling the issue,” Madlala added.

While the PSL maintain that the league needs 6 weeks to play out the 54 remaining fixtures and the league simply can’t continue after the 31st of July due to the financial implications involved, it now remains to be seen whether the league will be completed or not.