“I can’t say that the league is postponed indefinitely. Our intention is still to try to finish the current league season by the end of June.
“In terms of the lockdown we have no choice that matches are called off until Thursday the 16th of April.
“After that we will be following what the president says. So from the 16th‚ if there is a further lockdown we continue to be closed.
"If the president lifts the lockdown after the 21 days then we will meet to investigate whether it is possible to continue playing.”
The PSL on Thursday‚ following a six-hour meeting of its board of governors in Kempton Park‚ resolved that matches were suspended‚ but to examine the processes for games to continue behind closed doors within Health Department regulations.
PSL CEO Madlala says they still maintains hopes of completing season by June 30
Image: ©BackpagePix
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) offices will close for the period of the 21-day lockdown declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa‚ but the league still maintains hopes of completing its 2019-20 season by June 30.
Ramaphosa on Monday night announced a nationwide lockdown for 21 days from midnight on Thursday in a bid to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
PSL acting CEO Mato Madlala told TimesLIVE on Thursday morning that‚ despite the league’s fixtures on their official website showing all matches in the Absa Premiership and GladAfrica Championship postponed until May‚ the league is not indefinitely suspended.
“I can’t speak for the clubs and what each one will be doing but yes‚ of course our offices will be closing in terms of the lockdown‚” Madlala said.
PSL postpones fixtures over coronavirus
“I can’t say that the league is postponed indefinitely. Our intention is still to try to finish the current league season by the end of June.
“In terms of the lockdown we have no choice that matches are called off until Thursday the 16th of April.
“After that we will be following what the president says. So from the 16th‚ if there is a further lockdown we continue to be closed.
"If the president lifts the lockdown after the 21 days then we will meet to investigate whether it is possible to continue playing.”
The PSL on Thursday‚ following a six-hour meeting of its board of governors in Kempton Park‚ resolved that matches were suspended‚ but to examine the processes for games to continue behind closed doors within Health Department regulations.
Doctor has big call to make on whether PSL season will continue
A task team was appointed to work with the PSL executive committee to investigate how closed doors games could take place in compliance with government stipulations.
Madlala said the task team will continue to establish such information‚ with a view to matters improving regarding the coronavirus outbreak in South Africa.
“That [the task team investigation] will still happen. With technology we don’t have to meet.
"We will continue to look through the shutdown at the processes we have for the period following the lockdown‚ just to know what our options are‚” Madlala said.
There were 554 confirmed cases of coronavirus in South Africa on Tuesday‚ up from 402 on Monday.
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