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FAZ president Kamanga lauds Super League return despite coronavirus cases
The competition became the third to return in the continent, following Burundi and Tanzania, after it was suspended in March
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Andrew Kamanga has praised the successful return of Super League that was almost cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Three matches were played across the weekend even though the federation, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, tested team officials and players and ended up confirming 32 cases.
“So, it came to pass that the resumption of our league took off this weekend. It was not an easy undertaking that saw us flirt with the idea of abandoning the whole process,” Kamanga said in a Facebook post.
“But the kind of crisis the world is currently going through does not require people that jump ship at the slightest sight of danger. After all, we have all been reminded of the challenges of living in the ‘New Normal’ order.
“We were happy that everyone showed high levels of commitment to ensure that the return of our game is made a reality.”
A consultative meeting that was chaired by the Minister of Sports Emmanuel Mulenga, the National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ), clubs management and FAZ gave the green light for matches to be played over two days at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
“I take my heart off to the teams that launched us into the ‘New Normal’ final stretch with Police College beating Kitwe United 2-1 on Saturday in the historic match,” added Kamanga.
“The second match involving Forest Rangers and Zanaco FC could not take off owing to some challenges that the Ministry of Health have since committed to clearing up.
“Admittedly on this score, we could have done better. But with this new experience, it is expected that there will be challenges.”
A total of 28 members of Forest Rangers tested positive for coronavirus while two each for Power Dynamos and Zesco United were also confirmed to have contracted the disease.
Power Dynamos and Buildcon drew 1-1 and the same scoreline was registered in the Zesco United vs Kansanshi Dynamos match.
“On the pitch, players had to get used to the new demands of the ‘New Normal’ like the care not to carelessly spit with those on the bench spaced apart to keep with the social distancing demands,” explained the FAZ top official.
“The stands were expectedly empty with only a handful of media personnel, stadia staff and some health authorities. I would like to give credit to the fans for observing the stay at home call.
“Fans are the lifeblood of any football match but under the ‘New Normal’ we have to respect the rules given to us."
Kamanga also exuded confidence the remaining matches will be honoured under strict adherence to Covid-19 regulations.
“Going forward, we are confident that we should be able to see out the remainder of the fixtures with strict adherence to the Ministry of Health guidelines,” he concluded.
“We have taken note of the gaps and will work round the clock to ensure that things get better going forward.
“We implore the clubs to fully cooperate with the health authorities and ensure they observe all the guidelines.”
The Super League is the first African competition to resume behind closed doors. In Burundi and Tanzania, fans were allowed to attend games but with specific health regulations.
