Opinion – The PSL’s silence is deafening
On March 19, the Premier Soccer League sent out a statement from their Board of Governors (BoG) with regard to the postponement of the domestic game in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a brief statement that read as follows:
PSL Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza. Pic: BackpagePix
“1: The NSL values the lives of all our people. We view the health and safety of our players, staff and stakeholders as paramount.
2. Whilst our intention is to complete the season by no later than 30th June 2020, because of the existing uncertainties in our country we shall remain flexible
3. The Board of Governors has mandated the Executive Committee and the appointed Task Team to take all possible measures to ensure that the NSL’s leagues resume in compliance with the directives issued by the State President with the support and alignment of the National Government. This follows the meeting that was held with the Minister of Sports, Arts & Culture and further consultations held at this Board of Governors meeting with the Ministries of Health and the SAPS.”
Now this isn’t a particularly revelatory statement, in fact it almost certainly wouldn’t bear another mention, were it not for the fact that this is the last official statement from the PSL on the way forward for football in this country.
Today it is June 1, well over two months on, and while the PSL and the South African Football Association were meeting again this morning, it is fair to say that no one was expecting a word from the league on the matter.
How bizarre that the PSL, the governors of domestic club football in this country, have chosen to remain basically silent, in the midst of the most uncertain time football in this country has faced since the end of apartheid.
Safa have issued several statements in the meantime, including most recently their response to sports minister Nathi Mthethwa’s speech on Saturday. Safa talked of the “clarity” of Mthethwa’s comments, though they were, in reality, decidedly vague.
But where one stands on this doesn’t honestly matter that much. In fact, you could make a decent argument against most of what Safa have said, in all their statements, and this is by no means an organisation that is covering itself in glory, either in its power-hungry leadership, or it’s treatment of the media of late.
But at least Safa have been saying something. The PSL are not known to always see eye to eye with Safa, and their apparent willingness to allow the national association to dominate the airways is odd. Saying nothing also suggests another, even more concerning reality – the PSL don’t really know how they are going to get the Absa Premiership, Nedbank Cup and GladAfrica Championship up and running again anytime soon.
There is talk of a detailed report to present to government. There is talk of a season resumption in July. But if they are so confident, why are the league so cagey about sharing information? There was an opportunity here, for the PSL to take an active stance in tackling the impact of coronavirus on football, to engage their audience and in turn surely endear more people to them.
Instead, they have preferred to send out messages of nostalgia over matches gone-by, and to promote Fifa tournaments in the e-sports environment. This all has a place, but in the absence of any constructive way forward, one hopes it is not all that is left.
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