By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Kaizer Chiefs chairperson Kaizer Motaung says the club was “left astonished” by the Premier Soccer League’s decision to not allow the postponements of Chiefs DStv Premiership matches in December due to an outbreak of Covid-19.
In a goodwill message to bring in the new year, Motaung outlined a number of challenges faced by the DStv Premiership side, while looking ahead to a brighter and better 2022.
Chiefs 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. Chiefs 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 amazed,” said Motaung as part of his New Year’s message on 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.”
Chiefs have said they will appeal against the PSL’s decision with South African Football Association, and potentially in court.
The PSL’s decision was apparently based on precedent, with Cape United having a similar request turned down after an outbreak of Covid-19 at the GladAfrica Championship side in January 2021. That decision was based on a circular sent to PSL clubs from the exco that Covid-19 cases would not be grounds for postponements of matches.
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.