Chiefs ‘dumbfounded’ by PSL decision on Covid-19 postponements

Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung says the club remain ‘dumbfounded’ by the Premier Soccer League’s decision not to allow them to postpone games against Cape Town City and Golden Arrows last month, following a Covid-19 outbreak at the Amakhosi village.

ALSO READ: Shalulile lauds Maema for telepathic supply

Chiefs ultimately refused to play in either match, after 36 of their players and staff tested positive for the virus, in the midst of the Omicron outbreak.

Amakhosi initially wrote to the PSL asking for all their December fixtures in the DStv Premiership to be postponed, but ended up playing their final three matches of the year, beating Sekhukhune United and Maritzburg United, and losing to Royal AM.

The PSL, however, confirmed that they have declined Chiefs’ request, and have said that they will host a press conference on Wednesday on the matter. Amakhosi, meanwhile could have 3-0 defeats awarded against them in both the Cape Town City and Arrows matches, as per the league’s own rules, with City and Arrows both following the league’s protocols in turning up for the respective games.

“Our recent experience that saw us not allowed to postpone matches after the Covid-19 attack has still left us dumbfounded,” said Kaizer Motaung in his New Year address on the Kaizer Chiefs website.

“This has also brought a lot of attention on the running of the league and we have to ensure that we do not let this situation tarnish the good image of the organisation.

We do hope sanity and rationality will prevail at the end of the day and the PSL continues to be an example to many leagues in the world. We also need to learn from the examples of other top leagues in the world.”

The English Premier League have postponed a host of games recently, though they have also imposed strict regulations with regard how many absences constitute a valid reason for a postponement.

Motaung, meanwhile, in reflecting on 2021, also took time to praise caretaker coaches Arthur Zwane and Dillon Sheppard, especially for their role in helping Amakhosi reach the Caf Champions League final, and finish in the top eight in the DStv Premiership.

“Reaching the final of the 2021 CAF Champions League will be written in bold letters in the history books of Kaizer Chiefs. The players really made us proud, overcoming incredible odds to come within a whisker of being crowned continental champions. We faced numerous serious challenges along the way: from a game scheduled to take place in Morocco which CAF relocated to Burkina Faso, to travel restrictions in Angola,” said Motaung.

“During the course of the competition, we witnessed how Covid-19 was used as a weapon by some organisations in an attempt to win matches. Yet we soldiered on, motivated by the undying support of our loyal fans, to whom we express extreme gratitude for their solidarity during this time. We also want to thank SAFA for their invaluable assistance during our CAF journey.

“It is important to acknowledge the important role played by coaches Arthur Zwane and Dillon Sheppard who held the fort during that crucial time that saw us get into the Top 8 and reach the CAF Champions League final. The duo has been key for Kaizer Chiefs when called upon to assist and have done a stellar job.”