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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

THE failed attempt by Zambia to complete their Super Division campaign has given Zimbabwean authorities a glimpse of the challenges they could face should they start the 2020 football season.

The domestic football calendar failed to get underway in March, following the outbreak of Covid-19, and the leaders had set next month for the possible start.

But, neighbours Zambia, provided the biggest hint of the challenges of restarting the game when the coronavirus pandemic is seemingly at its peak.

The Football Association of Zambia last week announced they would end the season prematurely because of the complications they have been facing in the wake of surging cases of the disease in the league.

The association noted in a statement that one of the major challenges had been the long delays in securing test appointments, and results, by most of the clubs in the league.

This meant that certain matches could not be played due to the inability of clubs to produce results.

Despite signing up to observe the guidelines provided by the country’s Ministry of Health, the compliance levels by most of the clubs had not been satisfactory.

Among the breaches was the failure to manage the isolation of players, and officials, who tested positive, failure to observe social distancing and lack of sanitisers and disinfectants at designated places.

Football resumed in Zambia on July 18, following the coronavirus lockdown in March, but authorities were forced to review the decision after only two weeks.

ZIFA spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela, told The Herald although they have been following events in the region, with South Africa also billed to resume action this weekend, they will make their decisions based on the risk.

Domestic football, said Gwesela, has chosen a path of caution and will conduct a thorough research before giving the greenlight for the game to start.

“First, we have to understand our own risks, we have to understand how coronavirus has impacted on us and then chart the way forward,” said Gwesela.

“I cannot speak on behalf of Zambia or South Africa but, in our case as Zimbabwe, we decided to go scientific and we are going to conduct a research.

“This research will be accompanied by questionnaires, survey and we are going to do experiments/

“We would want to conduct an empirical research which will guide us by giving us objective results.

“We can only start the season, once we have done the survey, conduct the experiments and then analyse the results.

“That’s when we can only be able to assess the risk. That assessment will guide us when to start the season in line with the CAF, FIFA and Government recommendations, which we will religiously follow.”

But, while Zambia has been forced to stop, South African football is set to resume this weekend with the Nedbank Cup.

The South African authorities have gone out of their way in trying to meet the minimum health, and safety conditions, for football to be played in the midst of the pandemic.

Positive cases have been found among players, and officials, but many have since recovered and returned to work after going into quarantine.

“We shouldn’t be pressured by what is happening in other countries because we are different countries with different scenarios,’’ said Gwesela.

“South Africa and Zambia are in a hurry to complete their seasons but Zimbabwe are still looking to start.

“Ours is a unique case so there is no reason to copy-paste what is happening out there.

“Each country has its own different scenario and the safety of the players, officials, fans and the general population should come first.

“They should always be the priority, ahead of any football competition. So, please note, we are not going to endanger the lives of the people involved by rushing into football competition.

“We have to understand the risks.”

ZIFA, at their last board meeting, announced they had set up a taskforce to draw up a framework for the safe return to football.

The taskforce were meant to look at issues like baseline testing survey, costing and technical road map before presenting findings to the ZIFA competitions committee, led by Gwesela, this Saturday.

But, that meeting is no longer likely to happen.

“There have been some delays but we are going to implement the framework to the letter.

“Please note, what is of utmost importance is not the deadlines or time frames.

“What’s important is that we do not endanger the lives of the people involved in football.

“Coronavirus is real and it’s getting dangerous. So, we will not be pushed by any circumstances more than the safety, and good health, of players, fans and officials.”

South Africa and Zambia are desperate to appease their sponsors and to avert the potential losses from television rights by completing their competitions.

Zimbabwe may not have the motivational factor to take the risk as the league does not have a lucrative television sponsorship deal.