Hold your balls, teams told

MUKWIMA CHILALA writes THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) says it’s yet to give instructions to its member teams and stakeholders to start training ahead of a resumption of the league games. And FAZ warned any clubs that will abrogate the ban on training that they risk points being docked. FAZ general secretary Adrian Kashala expressed concern that some clubs had commenced training despite the suspension of all football activities. Kashala said the association had not yet been given the green light to commence football activities. “We are deeply concerned with reports of clubs resuming training without any clearance from either ourselves or the health authorities,” Kashala said. “On our part we have been engaging the ministries of Sports and also Health on the possibility of resuming football activities. In the absence of their clear greenlight we cannot resume any football activities.” He said punishment will be meted out on erring members with the docking of points being one of the options. Kashala, however, said that engagements with the ministries of Sports and Health had yielded positive results with a possibility of football returning soon. “We are constantly engaging the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Health through the Zambia Health Institute and any resumption of football will be in line with the guidance from these bodies. We advise our members to keep safe and observe all the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health,” he said. FAZ halted all football activities on March 20, 2020 following the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic. The Sun