Safa president Danny Jordaan has denied there is a problem between him and Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman Irvin Khoza due to disagreements on when the suspension of football should be lifted.
Despite sporting activities banned under the South African government’s Level 4 risk-adjusted lockdown, the PSL wants an exemption to resume the season under “stringent coronavirus health and safety regulations.”
But Safa is insisting football should restart during Level 1 where sporting activities qualify to take place.
While avoiding the cancellation of the season, the PSL’s argument is that waiting for Level 1 to be effected could spill beyond July, a situation which could complicate player contracts and play-offs.
With the football bosses delivering contradictory views, they appear to be in conflict with each other, but Jordaan has played down any talk of a strained relationship.
“Remember the two of us brought the World Cup to South Africa, the only country on the African continent to host the World Cup. Remember also, we delivered the World Cup that was voted the best World Cup ever,” Jordaan told SAFM.
“So there is history of working together. But there are also times when you disagree and, in this instance, I don’t have to say that we did not disagree because it was in the newspapers and the Minister said that I must take a single position to the cabinet. I cannot take two positions.
“And the [football] mother body must submit that position but we have to engage the PSL and this is what we are doing. Unfortunately, as I have indicated, I was in the Eastern Cape and I had to drive the whole day [on Monday] to come [to Johannesburg] and I met the chairman tonight [Tuesday]. We are going to have a further meeting.”
The PSL executive is also expected to hold a virtual meeting on Thursday, before approaching Safa as well as the Sports and Health ministries informing them of their deliberations.
“I think everybody wants football to start and we cannot start football when there are two voices,” Jordaan said.
“It can only be one voice because of the huge implications of a decision to commence what matters. It is not a decision that can be taken lightly and also, we cannot take the decision without the government.
“It is the government that decides we move from stage five to stage four and when we are moving top three, two and so on.
“It is strictly in the hands of the government and we must respond to each of those stages which we have done. Now we must engage the PSL so that we have the same understanding and take our position to the government for the [Sports] Minister to take it to the cabinet and argue why and when football must be allowed to be played. That process is underway.”
If the government, PSL and Safa agree on when to continue the season, Fifa would then be notified of the decision.
