The SA Football Association (Safa) has distanced itself from the reluctance to allow fans back in stadiums for league matches, insisting the ball is in the Premier Soccer League’s court.
“The PSL, just like us, have to apply to the minister of sports for the return of fans. We, as Safa, should not be doing that on their behalf. So we have nothing to do with this... you saw we opened for fans in Bafana Bafana games,’’ said Safa COO Lydia Monyepao yesterday.
The National Football Supporters' Association (NAFSA) has planned a peaceful protest to demand the PSL and sports ministry allow supporters back in stadiums. The march will take place outside the Orlando Stadium when Soweto giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs lock horns on March 5.
When the government amended regulation 69 of the Disaster Management Act, permitting at least 2,000 fans at outdoor sporting events in October, expectations were that the PSL would open the gates for fans.
However, the league is yet to open stadiums for any of the DStv Premiership matches, the exception being the MTN8 final in Durban for 2,000 supporters in October, though the tickets never went on sale. The media also remain inexplicably banned from match venues, but not from press conferences where the PSL seemingly requires publicity for their sponsors.
The PSL has hardly revealed why it’s been difficult to accommodate at least those 2,000 fans in league matches. It has been 19 months since the fans last watched league games at the stadiums.
Seeing rugby fans back in stadiums leaves a sour taste in the mouth of NAFSA acting CEO Siyabulela Loyilane. “It’s very concerning and frustrating that the PSL is the only sports sector which doesn’t want to take even those 2,000 fans.
"Rugby fans are now allowed. It’s just heartbreaking because every country in the world now allows fans in the stadiums, it’s only us. PSL should be putting the 2,000-fan regulation into use to see what works and what doesn’t,” Loyilane told Sowetan yesterday.
“We urge all the people who love football to join the march on March 5. It will be a peaceful march. We want the PSL and sports ministry to see we really want to watch football live like before.”
We have nothing to do with fan ban, says Safa
Supporters march to Orlando to demand stadiums open
Image: Alon Skuy
The SA Football Association (Safa) has distanced itself from the reluctance to allow fans back in stadiums for league matches, insisting the ball is in the Premier Soccer League’s court.
“The PSL, just like us, have to apply to the minister of sports for the return of fans. We, as Safa, should not be doing that on their behalf. So we have nothing to do with this... you saw we opened for fans in Bafana Bafana games,’’ said Safa COO Lydia Monyepao yesterday.
The National Football Supporters' Association (NAFSA) has planned a peaceful protest to demand the PSL and sports ministry allow supporters back in stadiums. The march will take place outside the Orlando Stadium when Soweto giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs lock horns on March 5.
When the government amended regulation 69 of the Disaster Management Act, permitting at least 2,000 fans at outdoor sporting events in October, expectations were that the PSL would open the gates for fans.
However, the league is yet to open stadiums for any of the DStv Premiership matches, the exception being the MTN8 final in Durban for 2,000 supporters in October, though the tickets never went on sale. The media also remain inexplicably banned from match venues, but not from press conferences where the PSL seemingly requires publicity for their sponsors.
The PSL has hardly revealed why it’s been difficult to accommodate at least those 2,000 fans in league matches. It has been 19 months since the fans last watched league games at the stadiums.
Seeing rugby fans back in stadiums leaves a sour taste in the mouth of NAFSA acting CEO Siyabulela Loyilane. “It’s very concerning and frustrating that the PSL is the only sports sector which doesn’t want to take even those 2,000 fans.
"Rugby fans are now allowed. It’s just heartbreaking because every country in the world now allows fans in the stadiums, it’s only us. PSL should be putting the 2,000-fan regulation into use to see what works and what doesn’t,” Loyilane told Sowetan yesterday.
“We urge all the people who love football to join the march on March 5. It will be a peaceful march. We want the PSL and sports ministry to see we really want to watch football live like before.”
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