Zimpapers Logo

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter

THE Rainbow Amateur Netball League are starting to consider how to navigate the impact the coronavirus outbreak may have on their 2020 programme.

Moses Gukurume, the RANL secretary-general, said they were getting suggestions from their stakeholders on the way forward.

The league was put on hold two weeks ago just after three rounds of matches.

“We are looking at it from different angles. Yesterday, one manager sent a suggestion to say, we are no longer talking of a season here because it has been disrupted in a bigger way,’’ said Gukurume.

‘’Why can’t we look at it and say after this thing is over we play in a tournament format so that we can end the season?

‘’So, this is another issue that I am going to table to the executive.

“And, we are saying we don’t know when this thing is going to end. If this thing ends later than June then we are talking of a disrupted season, we might choose to say we play sort of Cup games because there is no season to talk about.

‘’These are suggestions that are coming from different angles.

“Those are some of the options. We are yet to engage our stakeholders to say what other options do they have because this issue is better solved by the teams themselves to say what (is the) best route we can follow.’’

The RANL secretary-general said there was also need to look at the small teams in the league, in terms of their depth and budgets, if the league becomes congested with mid-week games.

‘’The challenge comes from those smaller teams that don’t have a bigger number, or pool of players, whether they are going to be comfortable to play three or four games per week because you have to play catch up.

“It’s a route that will be tabled to see how best it can be tackled but if it’s April, we are still within reach, we can squeeze mid-week games because the challenge doesn’t come just with the fixtures.

‘’It comes even with the budgets because some companies (sponsors) will say we can only play one away game per week yet the fixture now demands you play two away fixtures in a week,” said Gukurume.