Sports / Soccer
BF, Luveve shutdown cause chaos
01 Sep 2017 at 06:47hrs | Views
THE closure of Barbourfields and Luveve stadiums for renovations ahead of the Cosafa Women's Championship could cause further disarray in the already congested Premier Soccer League (PSL) programme.
Barbourfields and Luveve will be the main venues for the Cosafa Women's Championship.
This weekend's league matches, a double-header pitting Bulawayo City against ZPC Kariba, How Mine with Chicken Inn tomorrow and Highlanders versus Chapungu United on Sunday, have been moved from the condemned White City to Hartsfield.
Hartsfield was due to be inspected yesterday for the PSL games.
White City last hosted a Premiership game in May featuring Chicken Inn and FC Platinum.
However, the owners of the facility yesterday said the stadium was condemned by the Zifa grounds committee.
Bulawayo City Council acting director of housing and community services Mackenzie Moyo, who is also part of the Cosafa local organising committee in charge of grounds, saying they were putting final touches to refurbishments at Barbourfields.
"Something was not done well at White City Stadium for the Region 5 Youth Games in 2014. It was condemned by the Zifa grounds committee and we are looking at working on the problem in October," he said.
"White City has not been earmarked for the Cosafa tournament as the inspectors who were here a few weeks ago also condemned it. We are through with BF. There are minor touches along the touchline and by the time the games start, we would have finished.
"At Luveve work has been done around the goal areas as recommended by Cosafa. But we have agreed that Hartsfield can be used for the PSL games this weekend."
Moyo wrote to the PSL on August 23 advising them of the closure of the stadiums from August 28 and the league responded.
The PSL said they had on numerous occasions requested the city fathers to install permanent camera broadcasting structures, aluminum goalposts and spares, erection of perimeter fence and dressing rooms tunnel at Luveve and Wifi services at both BF and Luveve.
After Luveve was closed during the visit by Cosafa general secretary Sue DeStombes about three weeks ago, local PSL games have all been played at Barbourfields.
With the Cosafa Women's Championship starting on September 13 to 24 and all the facilities in Bulawayo embargoed, the PSL might be forced to cancel matches or look for alternative venues outside the city for local clubs.
Barbourfields and Luveve will be the main venues for the Cosafa Women's Championship.
This weekend's league matches, a double-header pitting Bulawayo City against ZPC Kariba, How Mine with Chicken Inn tomorrow and Highlanders versus Chapungu United on Sunday, have been moved from the condemned White City to Hartsfield.
Hartsfield was due to be inspected yesterday for the PSL games.
White City last hosted a Premiership game in May featuring Chicken Inn and FC Platinum.
However, the owners of the facility yesterday said the stadium was condemned by the Zifa grounds committee.
Bulawayo City Council acting director of housing and community services Mackenzie Moyo, who is also part of the Cosafa local organising committee in charge of grounds, saying they were putting final touches to refurbishments at Barbourfields.
"White City has not been earmarked for the Cosafa tournament as the inspectors who were here a few weeks ago also condemned it. We are through with BF. There are minor touches along the touchline and by the time the games start, we would have finished.
"At Luveve work has been done around the goal areas as recommended by Cosafa. But we have agreed that Hartsfield can be used for the PSL games this weekend."
Moyo wrote to the PSL on August 23 advising them of the closure of the stadiums from August 28 and the league responded.
The PSL said they had on numerous occasions requested the city fathers to install permanent camera broadcasting structures, aluminum goalposts and spares, erection of perimeter fence and dressing rooms tunnel at Luveve and Wifi services at both BF and Luveve.
After Luveve was closed during the visit by Cosafa general secretary Sue DeStombes about three weeks ago, local PSL games have all been played at Barbourfields.
With the Cosafa Women's Championship starting on September 13 to 24 and all the facilities in Bulawayo embargoed, the PSL might be forced to cancel matches or look for alternative venues outside the city for local clubs.
Source - newsday
