A twist in the Premier Soccer League vs Kaizer Chiefs tale

Nazeer Cassim SC, an arbitrator appointed by the South African Football Association (Safa) in the dispute between the Premier Soccer League and Kaizer Chiefs, ruled that the games that Amakhosi chose to forgo owing to a Covid-19 outbreak at their headquarters in December 2021, must be replayed.

“Kaizer Chiefs are pleased that justice has been served by the arbitration ruling handed down at Safa on Friday afternoon by advocate Nazeer Cassim SC after the club challenged the league’s decision to charge Amakhosi for being unable to fulfil two fixtures due to a massive Covid-19 outbreak that befell us in December 2021,” Chiefs said in response to the ruling.

“The decision we took to request the postponement of matches late last year was in the interest of safety for all concerned, our families, football colleagues and all the stakeholders involved in the game. Now that the matches will be played, it is in the interest of football that points should be won or lost through matches played on the field of play as opposed to the boardrooms.”

The ruling came on 18 March, after days of deliberation and arguments between the two sides. Chiefs failed to honour two fixtures in December – one at home against Cape Town City and another against Golden Arrows in Durban. The club said this was because they were battling a Covid-19 outbreak at their Kaizer Chiefs village in Naturena, Johannesburg – which led to the headquarters being shut down for a week.

With as many as 50 staff members impacted – including technical staff, players and general personnel – Amakhosi opted against honouring the fixtures. Prior to that, they made efforts to have the games postponed but were rebuffed by the league’s hierarchy. However, Cassim deemed their actions to have been appropriate, considering the prevailing conditions at the time.

“This was a case in which it would have been negligent, if not reckless, for Kaizer Chiefs to field a team for the fixtures on 4 December (City) and 8 December (Arrows) 2021. Its house (embodying the larger community making up the team) was infected and a threat to others,” said Cassim in his final ruling.

“In my view Kaizer Chiefs were justified in not fielding teams for the fixtures… These two games must be replayed. There is much to be said that where possible games must be replayed … to enable soccer to triumph and the best team on the day be rewarded… I am averse to the litigation process deciding the winner. It is better that the results of the match be determined on the soccer field.”

Nazeer Cassim SC, an arbitrator appointed by the South African Football Association in the dispute between the Premier Soccer League and Kaizer Chiefs. (Photo: Gallo Images / Beeld / Theana Breugem)