The
Premier Soccer League (PSL) is putting it on record that its sponsors Nedbank
and ABSA had no hand in the decision by the PSL to disallow permission for the
Ajax Cape Town and Liverpool match to be held on the 21 May 2013 as requested.
The
PSL Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza emphasised that the decision was not arrived at
easily as the playing of Liverpool by Ajax was in all other respects good for
the PSL and football in South Africa. This is because of the stature of
Liverpool and the support it commands in our country and worldwide.
Dr
Khoza had personally tried to intervene by requesting the urgent tabling of the
matter with the Joint Liaison Committee, a committee specifically set up for
the PSL and SAFA to deal with matters affecting both organisations.
The
Committee added the item on its agenda and duly deliberated on the matter. A
date of Sunday 26 May 2013 was the earliest day found suitable by the Joint
Liaison Committee for the match to be held. The date was however found
unsuitable to Ajax as Liverpool was not available on any other day than the
21st of May.
The
management of the PSL disallowed the permission for the match to be held on the
21 May 2013 as this date occurred before the completion of the PSL season.
The
sponsors Nedbank and ABSA were therefore not approached and could therefore be
not party to the decision.
