Cost of a single-city biologically safe environment to complete PSL season will be R100m

22 July 2020 - 16:08 By Marc Strydom
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Safa CEO Tebogo Motlanthe briefed the media earlier today.
Safa CEO Tebogo Motlanthe briefed the media earlier today.
Image: SAFA

The cost of a single-city biologically safe environment (BSE) to complete both the 2019-20 Absa Premiership and GladAfrica Championship seasons will be R100m‚ SA Football Association (Safa) acting CEO Tebogo Motlanthe has revealed.

Various options for the end of the season will be discussed at a Premier Soccer League (PSL) Board of Governors (BoG) virtual meeting on Friday‚ including potentially declaring both null and void‚ with no champions or promotion and relegation.

Another option is to complete the Premiership and cancel the GladAfrica Chmpionship (First Division)‚ whose clubs are believed to be baulking at a cost of R2‚5m to R3m per team to house and feed squads and compete in the BSE.

Motlanthe revealed that the total cost should both the top and second-tier leagues be completed in the bio-bubble‚ including the provision and housing of more than 100 match officials‚ which Safa has said it will pay for‚ comes to R100m.

“The figure which has been taken out is R100m‚” Motlanthe told an online press conference of the SA Football Journalists Association (Safja) on Wednesday.

“And that R100m includes everyone who will be in that bubble.

“That figure includes all the 32 clubs and the match officials.

"They [the PSL] have made that calculation based on the requirements and the required people who will be needed in that bubble.”

Logistics – with Safa having laid out an August 1 kickoff as its referees will not be ready before then‚ but the PSL saying it needs six weeks to complete 2019-20’s Premiership (Bidvest Wits have nine games to play) and Nedbank Cup matches – will play a role in the BoG’s decision on Friday.

Other factors include the outcome of the PSL’s meetings with stakeholders Absa‚ Nedbank and broadcasters SuperSport‚ and the cost of the BSE.

Premiership clubs received their R2m monthly grants until June‚ and ex-gratia payments for July‚ but‚ with Absa’s sponsorship ending‚ are without league funding in August or beyond that.

Motlanthe was asked if Safa‚ the recipient of Covid-19 relief from Fifa and the Confederation of African Football‚ could bail out PSL clubs financially to any extent.

“The association is in no position to do that‚” Safa’s acting CEO said.

“I’m sure everyone who is a source of income for Safa‚ and even the Fifa and Caf grants‚ would be directed at organising our national teams for the games that are outstanding.

“Both Caf and Fifa are saying that there is no way we are not going to have the qualifying games [for the 2022 World Cup and postponed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations].

“So we need to use that money wisely to ensure that when the time comes we are not stranded with our national teams.”

The PSL suspended matches due to Covid-19 on March 16.


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