Cancel league if Covid-19 test challenges continue Mamfunda

MUKWIMA CHILALA writes MORE stakeholders have continued to raise alarm over the decision by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to resume the 2019/2020 Season amid the surge in the COVID-19 cases in Zambia. Soccer administrator and former Power Dynamos Secretary Ricky Mamfunda says that it was better that the league be cancelled if there were challenges being faced in administering the testing of players involved in the games. Mamfunda noted that reports that certain clubs had played games without having their results ready were of great concern and a risky to other teams that already had their results in place. He said that it was better if the league was stopped so as to preserve life as football could wait saying that there was no way a life could be lost for the sake of fulfilling a life. Mamfunda noted that there was need for FAZ, Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Health to check compliance levels among  Clubsin order to ascertain whether the games should continue or not.  ‘’No single Footballer’s life is worthy losing all in the hope of fulfilling a football fixture, yes we love football , the nation loves football but COVID-19 is real and we need to adhere to the strict guidelines that have been given to us by the Ministry of health and we can only do that with a strict compliance,’’ Mamfundasaid. “I would rather the season is cancelled, if we are facing challenges in so far as testing the players and everybody else is concerned, lets pull the plug and we shall resume the league once the environment is conducive . So far five games have been played since the resumption of the league with some of the teams said to have recorded some positive Covid-19 cases among their players and staff while other teams are alleged to have gone ahead to play before getting their test results. The Sun