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Sports Reporter

THE Premier Soccer League have been forced to postpone the scheduled match between CAPS United and Black Rhinos after the Green Machine failed to submit Covid-19 results by late yesterday.

So dire is the situation at Makepekepe, their players are reported to have failed to turn up for the routine tests on Thursday citing transport fare issues for a club which has seen their players boycott training over the past two weeks.

Although there are some reported positive cases in the Makepekepe camp recorded on Tuesday and last week, it is mostly their failure to submit the latest results that prompted the top-flight to cancel their fixture against Rhinos today.

The match was scheduled for the National Sports Stadium this afternoon.

The Herald yesterday speculated the match between Makepekepe and Black Rhinos was in jeopardy after sources revealed the players had refused to pitch up for Covid-19 tests at a time they are at loggerheads with their employer over a month’s outstanding salary.

A source at PSL yesterday said CAPS United’s Covid-19 results had not been submitted although policy stipulates they should be made available at least 24 hours prior to a scheduled game.

The Green Machine players have been on strike, refusing to train for the past two weeks as they want their salaries to be reviewed upwards.

Reports say they are earning an average of $20 000 and the players are demanding that those salaries be increased.

With the management not acting, there were about 70 percent of the players who turned up for Covid-19 tests last week where at least two tested positive before their game against Rhinos was moved.

Contacted for comment, CAPS United head of commercial and media, Raymond Gonte, said Covid-19 and nothing else is the reason behind the rescheduling of their game against Black Rhinos.

“We have Covid-19 issues in our camp and that is the reason behind the postponement of our match against Black Rhinos,” said Gonte.

“Things are getting back to normal at CAPS United and there is no way the players would not have turned up for these tests. We also recorded some cases last week.

“The team, with a vibrant technical team is raring to go and we actually wanted to play this game against Black Rhinos but unfortunately the pandemic wouldn’t allow it.”

Two other match-day-three fixtures have also been postponed due to Covid-19 cases in their camps.

Some players have already started leaving Makepekepe with Tinashe Balakasi having already joined Northern Region Soccer League side Simba Bhora while Wilson Appiah is said to be training with a PSL club in Bulawayo.

The match between FC Platinum and Bulawayo Chiefs as well as the one pitting Tenax and Chicken Inn have both been shelved.