The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer League is introducing a raft of changes as they seek to introduce a professional system of managing matches.
Some of the changes to be implemented at today’s thriller featuring Highlanders and Caps United at Barbourfields Stadium would see vehicles not being allowed to park behind the Soweto stand as part of security measures. Today’s match will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
The decision was reached during a pre-match meeting last Friday evening that was attended by the police, medical personnel, representatives from Highlanders, Bantu Rovers and How Mine as well as PSL cashiers. The gathering touched on various issues among them easy entry for spectators and officials, entry of privileged card holders, fans behaviour, parking of vehicles inside the stadium and stadium security.
Gates at Barbourfields will today be opened at 11am with 20 entry points working to ensure there are no queues although police expressed concern over the fact that people want to rush in just before the game starts thus causing congestion.
Speaking after the meeting PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said they would be restricting parking in the stadium for security reasons.
“Our stadiums were not designed to accommodate vehicles and in an emergency situation cars would pose problems if we have to evacuate people. There are parking bays just opposite BF next to Mzilikazi Primary School where people can safely park their cars so it should not be a worry for anyone,” he said.
Ndebele said they are aiming at introducing a systematic way of doing business to ensure matches are family friendly and also give a positive light on the image of the game.
“We all have common interests as stakeholders of the game, be it the police, clubs, the PSL, spectators and the media, we want to make matches a friendly environment for families and avoid harassment of people while avoiding loss of property and we also need to protect the image of the game,” he said.
“It is all about introducing a new culture of doing things that would positively impact on the way matches are run.” Clubs expressed concern over the number of people seeking free entry through the designated Gate 3, which is used by privileged card holders.
How Mine administrator Reuben Ndebele said one of their sponsors had a hard time trying to gain entry using the gate because there was a lot of pushing and shoving as people wanted to get in for free.
It was agreed at the meeting that a security official would need to be stationed outside the gate to allow free movement of privileged card holders.
Ndebele said only holders of PSL cards would be allowed free entry. He said they would be holding such meetings on a frequent basis and ensure everyone involved in the game is on the same page.
