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Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa He says his department is considering allowing golf to return to closed doors during the current Covid-19 force lockdown.
However, evidence indicated that football (and by association as a contact sport, rugby) was still far from obtaining the green light to resume any activity in the current state of disaster.
Sports activity stopped in early March after the first traces of the new coronavirus were detected in South Africa. In April, GolfRSA, the South African Professional Golfers Association and the South African Club Management Association wrote to Mthethwa asking him to return without spectators.
Representatives of the three organizations also met with the minister by videoconference last month, in which they called for the reopening of their facilities to save thousands of jobs.
They said that only 34% of the clubs could resist the lockdown while providing a full salary for staff, with the rest facing the possibility of firing some 18,000 employees.
“There are others who have come to us and defended their case, and golf is one of them,” Mthethwa said at the briefing on Monday.
“They strongly motivated that the nature of their sport is not a contact sport and in terms of regulations, the meters between people fit together. It would be easier for them to adhere to [physical distancing]. We are investigating that. “
While traditional soccer countries like Spain and Germany have allowed their clubs to re-train, it appears that South African leagues may be far from returning to action.
Mthethwa said the sports, arts and culture department would rely heavily on recommendations from the code’s main governing bodies, the South African Soccer Association (SAFA) and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) before making a decision.
“Regarding soccer, we are going to depend on SAFA as the mother body of soccer in the country and the PSL, hoping that they will guide the government,” the minister said.
“I have been in contact with the president of SAFA [Danny] Jordaan and PSL President [Irvin] Khoza and told them … I need your wise advice as leaders in football on reopening or softening the running of the bulls [regulations] with our risk-adjusted strategy.
“We have called meetings with both of them. Khoza and Kaizer Chiefs President Kaizer Motaung informed me that they will hold a meeting of the board of governors on Thursday and will make suggestions.”
Meanwhile, the government has released aid funds to 93 athletes of sports codes such as sports practiced by people with disabilities, fencing, netball, triathlon, tennis, gymnastics, boxing, canoeing and soccer.
A total of 281 athletes have so far been approved for a portion, limited to R20,000 per person – from the R150 million Release funds.
