Kamanga applauds fans

SUN SPORTS writes FOOTBALL Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Andrew Kamanaga has hailed football fans for adhering to the public health guidelines as the football league resumed. In a social media posting, the FAZ president indicated that under the new normal, various challenges would be met but was gratified at the levels of compliance shown by teams, fans and the media. “Fans are the lifeblood of any football match but under the ‘New Normal’ we have to respect the rules given to us. Gratifyingly, the broadcast partner SuperSport is on board to fill the gap as they bring the action right in your living rooms. We salute SuperSport and the various media personnel that have stepped in to ensure that the public is well informed,” he said “Going forward, we are confident that we should be able to see out the remainder of the fixtures with strict adherence to the Ministry of Health guidelines. We have taken note of the gaps and will work round the clock to ensure that things get better going forward. We shall continue working hand in hand with the superintending minister which is the Ministry of Sports and their counterparts at health to ensure that we review the situation regularly.” Meanwhile, Super Division side Napsa Stars have had the team and club staff swabbed for coronavirus in line with the Covid-19 public health guide issued by FAZ. The FAZ secretariat staff have also been tested for Covid-19, which is expected to become a regular exercise for all individuals involved in the league activities. “Through the Ministry of Health we have stepped up several measures including the testing mechanism that will ensure that all the teams meet this mandatory benchmark before playing any games. We implore the clubs to fully cooperate with the health authorities and ensure they observe all the guidelines,” Kamanga said. “Finally, I would like thank His Excellency, President Edgar Chagwa Lungu for having given us the go-ahead to resume the league based on the recommendation from the Ministry of Health. On our part we will continue to liaise with the relevant government wings to ensure that we observe all the guidelines ultimately remembering that the preservation of life remains the top priority.” Premier and National Division One games resumed over the weekend under Covid-19 preventive measure rules that has seen spectators barred from venues. The Sun