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FANS IN BREACH RISK ANOTHER BAN

10/11/2021 08:33:00 BY CHRIS DLAMINI

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MBABANE – A breach of the COVID-19 regulations as announced by the country’s Prime Minister (PM) Cleopas Dlamini could result in another ban for any guilty sporting code – elite football included.

Just as spectators returned to the soccer stadiums for the first time in 20 months due to the pandemic, some stipulated no-go area conditions were put in place by government for all sporting codes to adhere to or risk yet another ban from sporting activities. For elite football, a limited number, 2 000 fans at Mavuso Sports Centre and currently inactive Somhlolo National Stadium and 500 fans for other arenas and all fans must be fully vaccinated. Despite having to ensure that every spectator in their games is vaccinated for COVID-19, the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) and Eswatini Football Association (EFA) have the task to also keep the fans well behaved and that is not allowing alcohol beverages into the stadium. They also have to ensure that there were no vendors in or around the stadium to serve food and alcoholic beverages as the latter leads to rowdiness from the grandstands.

Venues

While a lot of venues did not have any challenges, the Royal Leopard and Mbabane Swallows match last Saturday with less than 100 spectators, had violent scenes that had been forgotten in the game, as last season started and finished without fans. One of the most followed clubs, Manzini Wanderers even won a fair play award for the first time since the gong’s existence a few years ago. Swallows supporters threw all sorts of missiles towards MTN Premier League defending champions Royal Leopard’s coach, Edwin Matsebula after their 1-0 defeat, these included beer cans. The latter and other officials from both sets of teams had been involved in an earlier scuffle during the four minutes of added time but the game was able to continue to the end as the police calmed the situation.

“Organisers of all elite sporting competitions are to ensure that all tickets are sold on pre-sale to avoid long queues at competition venues. It is also important for organisers to remember that there shall be no serving of food or alcoholic beverages at any sports activity,” reads a press statement by Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Minister Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga made on October 29, 2021, a day after the PM had pronounced the return to activity for all sports alongside the alcohol beverages condition.

vaccinated

However, the vaccinated fans who made their way to the games last weekend still made their way to the venue with their favourite drinks as witnessed when Leopard’s coach was under siege and had to be whisked out of the arena by the police as fans bayed for his blood. “It is the responsibility of tournament organisers to ensure that COVID-19 regulations and protocols are strictly adhered to. Organisers who are found to be in breach of these regulations will lose the privileges of being able to organise sporting activities and may face further punishment from the law,” he had said in his statement.

The Ministry’s Communications Officer, Sibongiseni Zondi, said they could not respond to this issue. “The matter you are referring to is a football matter and as such, the question should be directed to the relevant football structures,” he responded. The PLE is expected to charge both Leopard and Swallows for the incident with fines, if found guilty likely to reach E50 000 per team. PLE COO, Pat Vilakati’s phone consistently rang unanswered yesterday when sought for comment. However, he and PLE Executive Committee Members Charles Matsebula and Polycarp Dlamini had last Thursday emphasised that fans were not expected to come to the stadiums with any alcohol beverages or buy any around the stadium as it was strictly prohibited as one of the terms for their return to the stadium.

Banned

Meanwhile, government banned football in March, 2020 before allowing only elite soccer late into the year, but already, the 2019/20 season had been abruptly ended, Young Buffaloes who were at the summit by then with eight games to spare, were declared champions. At least one of the supporters, who were involved in the PLE/EFA COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, said it would be unfortunate if government banned the favourite game or the supporters again. “It’s important that we all behave under the circumstances or we could lose it all. It can be the games that are stopped or us as fans which would mean empty stadiums again,” he said.

He, however, noted that the league was played under rules and regulations and the PLE would have to be strict as well in ensuring that clubs feel the seriousness of adhering to the protocols by implementing all measures to punish them.