As Covid-19 cases increase in South Africa, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) has resolved to suspend upcoming Absa Premiership matches. The PSL had announced on Sunday, 15 March that it would hold an urgent Executive Committee meeting in response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s declaration of Coronavirus as a national disaster in South Africa.

PSL chairperson Irvin Khoza made the suspension announcement at the PSL headquarters in Parktown ahead of key fixtures that were set to be played this week, starting on Tuesday, 17 March. 

“The executive committee this afternoon resolved, one, that the games scheduled to be played tomorrow and Wednesday are all suspended. The games to be played on the weekend are also suspended,” said Khoza.  

Khoza added that there will be another urgent meeting held by the executive committee of the PSL as well its board of governors on Thursday, 19 March, and its outcomes are expected to paint a picture of the way forward for the league.   

There are a few options which the stakeholders will ponder heading into their crunch meeting. Among them would be to continue with matches behind closed doors, or maybe they will resolve to postpone all fixtures until the ban is lifted (as most sports bodies around the world have done). 

They could also resolve to end the season early with teams losing out, or benefiting according to their current standings on the log. Or finally, they could declare the season null and void.

Khoza would not be drawn into predicting what the future may hold.

“The government said it will be monitoring the situation day by day, week by week, month by month. I can’t preempt anything,” commented Khoza.

One of the fixtures affected by the suspension is the game between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, which would’ve been a key fixture for Sundowns as they attempt to reel in log leaders Kaizer Chiefs.

The chairperson also announced that the season of the reserve league, the Multichoice Diski Challenge, has been discontinued. DM