Premier Soccer League chairman Irvin Khoza: The clubs must pay from their own coffers

Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman Irvin Khoza says the clubs will be expected to pay for all the costs related to staying in the Biologically Safe Environment (BSE) when the topflight and lower tier seasons resume on August 8.

Some of the clubs‚ especially in the GladAfrica Championship‚ were horrified by the high costs of staying in the ‘bio-bubble’ and they expressed their concerns to TimesLIVE a few days ago.

The cost of staying in the bio bubble is over R2m per club and this amount covers their stay in the hotel‚ meals and the final round of Covid-19 testing for players and staff.

“For the last four months we have been paying grants (the R2m and R500,000 monthly grant paid to each club in the Premiership and lower tier respectively ) without taking any deductions‚ so the clubs must pay from their own coffers‚” said Khoza on Monday‚

The PSL season was suspended in March due to the outbreak of the coronavirus and will resume with the semifinals of the Nedbank Cup on August 8.

The league programme will restart on August 11 with long-time Absa Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs still perched at the summit.

“Remember in the grants there are also deductions for travelling and accommodation expenses for those teams that are supposed to be camping and what so ever.

"Those monies have not been deducted‚ so every club is going to carry their own expenses in terms of travelling to their own BSE and hotel accommodation.

“In the regulations of the PSL‚ there is no provision that clubs must be given a grant‚ this grant is given without any instructing provisions in our statutes.

"So‚ it is very important that we respect the investment by our sponsors and broadcaster who are buying our content that enable the clubs to be professional‚ competitive and the league to be unpredictable.

“We are doing these precisely to make sure that we are measured with exactly the same standards with the rest of the world.

"Hence we have made a point that everybody is able to comply.

"That is why whatever the teams might say‚ I am not aware of it because for four months we have been paying grants with nothing to show for it.

"We want to show appreciation to our sponsors for being patient and understanding of the challenges we faced in terms of compliance.”

Khoza revealed that there is one club that is yet to comply with the health and safety regulations that were approved by government.

He said this team will not be allowed to enter the ‘bio-bubble’.

“As the BoG we have a compliance officer who tells that all the clubs has complied except for one that is trying to comply because if you don’t comply before you go into the bubble‚ you are out‚" he said.

"Going into the bubble‚ you must be tested 48 hours before because anyone going into the bubble must be negative.

"If you are not negative you are out.

"Teams that are going first into the bubble are those that are involved in the Nedbank Cup semifinals.

"All the other teams are required to be in the bubble on the 11th of August and it is all systems go.”