Nigerian fans praise South African government for restarting football activities.

Harry Awurumibe, Editor -in-Chief

Some Nigerian fans have praised the South African government for allowing all football activities to resume immediately.

The authorities have Monday given the South African Football Association (SAFA) permission to allow amateur football to resume with immediate effect..

This was after the government granted permission for all football activities to resume immediately.

SAFA had last  weekend at its NEC declared the 2019-20 ABC Motsepe League season across all nine provinces completed with teams occupying the first positions declared as winners.

In a statement released by SAFA on Monday, the association said the government has warned the public to stay vigilant and cautious as the coronavirus pandemic remains present.

Safa further outlined measures all the clubs should take before football can resume, and they include the appointment of a compliance officer, the wearing of masks, sanitisation and regular washing of hands among others.

Clubs are encouraged to do daily screening for Covid-19 symptoms.

Part of the statement released by Safa reads as follows:

Among other things that the clubs need to take care of are:

• The appointment of a Compliance Officer

• Daily screening of Covid-19 symptoms

• Trying as much as possible to observe Covid-19 social distancing

• Sanitization and regular washing of hands

• Wearing of masks as much as possible at any given time, except when training is in session.

SAFA Acting CEO,  Tebogo Motlanthe said the country’s FA was happy that football would be coming back now that the country is on alert level 1 of the lockdown.

He added that the spread of the coronavirus will be curbed if all football clubs follow health and safety directives and measures as set out by the association.

“We are happy that football will now resume but our members must monitor and ensure that teams follow strict health protocols,” Motlanthe said in the statement.

“All Safa health and safety directives must be followed so that we avoid any possible spike of Covid-19 cases.”

Meanwhile, some Nigerian fans have called on the Nigerian government to grant the Ministry of Sports and Nigeria Football Federation NFF (NFF) to emulate the South African government by allowing football activities to resume immediately.

Prince Charles  Azubuike, a Businessman applauded the South African government for allowing football activities to resume without further delay.

According to the Chairman of Charliz Hotel & Fast food, Owerri, “the Nigerian government and football authorities should not continue to put football in the cooler.

Another football fan, Alabi Joseph who lives in Abuja cannot understand why football activities are still grounded in Nigeria when schools have resumed in the country.

” I cannot believe that the Nigerian government has since granted permission for markets, offices and schools to resume while football activities are still grounded”,   Joseph lamented.