SAFA refute claims over calls to end PSL season

SAFA refute claims over calls to end PSL season! With recent calls on whether Premier Soccer League may (PSL) conclude the current campaign amid politics being on cards to begin with the match encounters, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has distanced itself from calls of ending the 2019/20 campaign.

The PSL 2019/20 season was suspended earlier this year in March due to the coronavirus pandemic but the government recently gave a thumbs-up for the continuation of the campaign.

According to Safa’s acting CEO Tebogo Motlanthe, the football motherboard hasn’t called for the season to be concluded, but is concerned with the safety and health of soccer teams and its players.

“We haven’t met with our stakeholders to conclude this encounter, however, we have advised that is going to take a matter of time to sit down and formulate strategies to find a a proper way to deal with this burning issue,” Motlanthe revealed to Lesedi FM’s radio host Thabo Kofa.

Motlanthe further added that the country’s motherboard football will not subject itself to the pressure from PSL to allow early resumption of the season, as they prioritize safety and health.

“We don’t want to take any responsibility for anything that could go wrong if football was to be played before August, we told joint committee earlier this month that we don’t endorse the proposed dates before the league has complied with all the new regulations as set out by the government and the Joint Liaison Committee,” he told the station.

Previously, Minister of Sports, Nathi Mthethwa addressed that he will allow the PSL and SAFA to work on safety mechanisms to resume with match encounters, however, he cautioned that should anything jeopardizing lives of players and officials in due course both PSL and SAFA will be held accountable.