South African giants Kaizer Chiefs have asked that the Premier Soccer League (PSL) consider calling off their game against Cape Town City and three more after a Covid-19 outbreak at The Village.
Chiefs who are the home to Kenyan midfielder Anthony Akumu have 31 cases of Covid-19 reported in their camp and might have a depleted squad for selection in the coming weeks.
In a statement sent to the PSL, the club said that those ill have already been taken for isolation with the club also tracing primary contacts of those that have already tested positive for the virus.
“Players and staff at Kaizer Chiefs Football Club have been closely monitored for symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been tested regularly. More personnel tested positive this week as we were preparing for Saturday’s game,” the club said in a statement on Friday morning ahead of hosting City.
“As a result of this outbreak that has seen no less 31 people test positive for COVID-19, the Kaizer Chiefs Village is temporarily closed until next week.”
“Given the situation, the medical team have conducted contact tracing of primary contacts of those who tested positive and have instructed all players, members of the technical team and staff, including those who tested negative, who are primary contacts to quarantine as per COVID protocols,” the club explained.
“The Club has written to the Premier Soccer League to request for a postponement of the four upcoming games in December against Cape Town City (4 December), Golden Arrows (8 December), Sekhukhune FC (12 December) and Royal AM (22 December) to avoid risk of infection and further spread of the virus and allow those affected to recover and complete their quarantine period before they can play against other teams,” the statement read.
“We view this as a case of force majeure as what the Club is experiencing as a consequence of COVID and the protocols it is obliged to implement, is total beyond the control of the Club. The Club does not at the moment have sufficient players nor technical team to constitute a team. We have appealed to the League to seriously consider the matter for the sake of everyone’s health and safety because there are many other people involved in organising a game. The team will be closely monitored by our medical team, while we continue to maintain COVID risk mitigation protocols.”