Covid outbreak forces Chiefs to cancel Arrows match
Kaizer Chiefs say they will not be able to put together a team for their matches in December
07 December 2021 - 20:18
byMarc Strydom
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A fan holds a Kaizer Chiefs flag outside the club's headquarters at Naturena. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/SHARON SERETLO
Kaizer Chiefs have said they will not honour their second Premier Soccer League (PSL) match in the space of five days and will not travel to meet Lamontville Golden Arrows in Durban on Wednesday.
Chiefs also did not honour their home game against Cape Town City at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
This was after Chiefs wrote to the PSL late last week asking for a postponement of all four of their league matches in December after 31 cases of Covid-19 at their headquarters in Naturena. The club said the number has risen to 36.
On Tuesday afternoon Chiefs said: “Following further consultations with the medical department and management regarding the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak that occurred at the village last week, Chiefs are unable to travel for the league match against Golden Arrows.”
Chiefs said they will be unable to put together a team for their matches in December due to the outbreak.
It is understood Chiefs’ initial request was declined by the PSL, but the league’s executive committee will review the situation in a meeting on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, the stadium manager of Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban, Vusi Mazibuko, said he has not had any communication about Wednesday’s match.
Mazibuko — who manages Durban’s major stadiums for the eThekwini Municipality, including the Princess Magogo, Moses Mabhida and King Zwelithini football venues — said if any communication is made to him that the match has been postponed it will come from tenant club Arrows.
“As far as we know the game is happening — we haven’t heard anything to the contrary,” Mazibuko said on Tuesday.
Mazibuko was asked if that meant the security, medical and other personnel are all ready to fulfil their commitment to hosting Wednesday’s 7.30pm kickoff match at Princess Magogo.
“Yes. We are preparing for the match. We haven’t heard anything to the contrary,” he said.
As yet, the PSL has put out no official statement on whether the Chiefs-City match has been officially postponed or not.
City chair John Comitis said that by his understanding, after an executive committee meeting on Friday, the game was not postponed and this had been communicated in writing to Chiefs. Comitis said City would honour the game because they had no communication of a postponement from the PSL.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Covid outbreak forces Chiefs to cancel Arrows match
Kaizer Chiefs say they will not be able to put together a team for their matches in December
Kaizer Chiefs have said they will not honour their second Premier Soccer League (PSL) match in the space of five days and will not travel to meet Lamontville Golden Arrows in Durban on Wednesday.
Chiefs also did not honour their home game against Cape Town City at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
This was after Chiefs wrote to the PSL late last week asking for a postponement of all four of their league matches in December after 31 cases of Covid-19 at their headquarters in Naturena. The club said the number has risen to 36.
On Tuesday afternoon Chiefs said: “Following further consultations with the medical department and management regarding the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak that occurred at the village last week, Chiefs are unable to travel for the league match against Golden Arrows.”
Chiefs said they will be unable to put together a team for their matches in December due to the outbreak.
It is understood Chiefs’ initial request was declined by the PSL, but the league’s executive committee will review the situation in a meeting on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, the stadium manager of Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban, Vusi Mazibuko, said he has not had any communication about Wednesday’s match.
Mazibuko — who manages Durban’s major stadiums for the eThekwini Municipality, including the Princess Magogo, Moses Mabhida and King Zwelithini football venues — said if any communication is made to him that the match has been postponed it will come from tenant club Arrows.
“As far as we know the game is happening — we haven’t heard anything to the contrary,” Mazibuko said on Tuesday.
Mazibuko was asked if that meant the security, medical and other personnel are all ready to fulfil their commitment to hosting Wednesday’s 7.30pm kickoff match at Princess Magogo.
“Yes. We are preparing for the match. We haven’t heard anything to the contrary,” he said.
As yet, the PSL has put out no official statement on whether the Chiefs-City match has been officially postponed or not.
City chair John Comitis said that by his understanding, after an executive committee meeting on Friday, the game was not postponed and this had been communicated in writing to Chiefs. Comitis said City would honour the game because they had no communication of a postponement from the PSL.
Arrows are owned by PSL acting CEO Mato Madlala.
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