Some of the teams have told us the PSL instructed them not to communicate with the media regarding the tests being conducted.
Why keep such information a secret? Covid-19 is a worldwide crisis and teams undergoing tests should actually be seen as a positive step towards breaking the stigma which is associated with the virus. But for some reason, the PSL opted to keep this information away from the public.
The league cannot blame government for its silence, because the office of minister Nathi Mthethwa has been communicating when asked to.
Yesterday, the ministry released a statement confirming it had given the PSL the greenlight to return to the field, provided safety protocols are met.
Again, the PSL has still not said anything in this regard.
We urge the PSL to be more forthcoming on information, just as they do when they want the media and other stakeholders to mobilise support for their events.
This is not the time for the PSL to be silent
It is obvious that the coronavirus has brought about unprecedented chaos in every sector throughout the world, and we are not surprised that some have struggled to come up with workable solutions to respond to this unusual situation.
Our local Premier Soccer League (PSL) falls under the category of those who have not covered themselves in glory following the pandemic.
The league has been unresponsive, offering very little to no information when asked how it planned to ensure the football season is completed.
Whereas at the start of the crisis in March, the league was proactive in cancelling activities and convening a board of governors meeting which was followed by a media briefing, nothing has been heard from the PSL head honchos since.
The public has had to fend for itself, with some among us in the media relying on drawing incomplete information from the clubs themselves about the latest developments. This is no way to run a professional entity which draws sponsorship to the tune of a billion rand a year.
Only this week, we reported that PSL teams had been ordered to undergo mandatory massive testing of their playing squad in anticipation of restarting the season.
It is no surprise that several teams, including Kaizer Chiefs, Stellenbosch, Bloemfontein Celtic, TS Galaxy and Moroka Swallows have reported positive tests.
Some of the teams have told us the PSL instructed them not to communicate with the media regarding the tests being conducted.
Why keep such information a secret? Covid-19 is a worldwide crisis and teams undergoing tests should actually be seen as a positive step towards breaking the stigma which is associated with the virus. But for some reason, the PSL opted to keep this information away from the public.
The league cannot blame government for its silence, because the office of minister Nathi Mthethwa has been communicating when asked to.
Yesterday, the ministry released a statement confirming it had given the PSL the greenlight to return to the field, provided safety protocols are met.
Again, the PSL has still not said anything in this regard.
We urge the PSL to be more forthcoming on information, just as they do when they want the media and other stakeholders to mobilise support for their events.