Confederation of African Football says PSL bio-bubble a trendsetter

Africa’s continental football controlling body, the Confederation of African Football (Caf), has heaped praise on the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

This after the PSL successfully implemented a biologically safe environment that saw it complete its league season that was interrupted by the outbreak of the Covid-19 global pandemic. The PSL completed its stalled league without any incidents of Covid-19 infections. This prompted a Caf medical expert to single out the PSL bio-bubble as the ‘most elaborate example that set new standards’.

Dr Yacine Zerguini, a Caf medical committee member, had travelled to various countries in Africa to observe the Covid-19 protocols that were set in motion by the various continental leagues as a safe measure for the completion of the seasons. The bio-bubbles he observed included those of Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.

The PSL bio-bubble was one of the fundamental safeguards proposed by the league when it sought to restart its league that was thrown into disarray by the national lockdown announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The lockdown, which began on 26 March, literally brought the country and its economy to a five-month standstill.
Speaking on the impact of the coronavirus in Africa and also the response of the various leagues on the continent to the pandemic, Zerguini singled out South Africa for its processes.

“We have particularly observed the examples in different leagues. We have observed the examples in South Africa, in Morocco, in Tunisia and also Egypt who have all set good examples,” he said.

“For me, the most elaborate example is South Africa, perhaps because they have a tradition of direct links between sports medicine and the academic world and making use of this expertise. The combination of these is probably the solution – for us to ask those who know and have the understanding to help and come up with solutions.”

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