Kaizer Chiefs react to SAFA’s decision to grant match postponements

Chiefs were forced to miss games against Cape Town City and Golden Arrows due to having their training ground plagued by Covid-19.

Chiefs appeal initially rejected

Chiefs had to initially wait for a month to find out that their initial appeal for the two games to be postponed was rejected by the Premier Soccer League (PSL). They then vowed to fight that decision all the way, enlisting some high profile legal experts to help their cause along the way. Now after another lengthy period, they have been handed a favourable verdict by the South African football governing body.

Club reacts to the news

“ 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 fulfill two fixtures due to a massive Covid-19 outbreak that befell us in December 2021.

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.

And, 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.

We want to thank everyone who supported our cause. We are also grateful this ruling will return the value to our sponsors, Amakhosi supporters and the League’s sponsors.

We truly feel vindicated by the decision and look forward to playing the two outstanding DStv Premiership matches.” A statement read on the Chiefs website, reacting to the news.

Faint chances of title chase alive?

With that favourable statement, Chiefs now have four games in hand on league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who are 16 points ahead.