The Premier Soccer League (PSL) season for 2004/05, scheduled from August 7, will start with a full complement of clubs in both the PSL and the Mvelaphanda Golden League, including the recently promoted clubs.
Both leagues boast 18 clubs.
Reigning PSL champions Kaizer Chiefs will kick off the new season when they are hosted by Dynamos in Giyani, while Orlando Pirates and Jomo Cosmos will meet at the Johannesburg Stadium.
PSL CEO Trevor Phillips confirmed the starting date for both leagues at a media briefing on Monday.
He also took the opportunity to clarify the issue of ”insufficient” referees since the arrests of 30 whistle men by the task team of Operation Dribble in the continuing blitz on match-fixing, bribery and corruption in local soccer.
”We have got a good panel of referees. They just need all the support they can get,” Phillips said. ”I think we have to accept the fact that perhaps we will have to go into the season with some inexperienced referees.”
Phillips announced that all the referees implicated in the alleged corruption have been suspended with immediate effect from all football activities related to their professional services.
He said the decision was made at a meeting on July 24.
”They are suspended with immediate effect pending the finalisation of their cases with the state,” he said.
Three officials who are linked to recently promoted Bush Bucks and Bloemfontein Celtic form part of the 30 arrested officials.
Phillips’s said the stance of his company regarding the two clubs is that the PSL is aware of the allegations, but has no evidence in its possession that will enable it to proceed with internal prosecutions in terms of rules against any parties.
”The league has requested Safa [the South African Football Association] to provide it with any relevant evidence that they have in their possession. But they have been reluctant to do so for fear of prejudicing the ongoing criminal investigations.
”Should the league come into possession of prima facie evidence of bribery or corruption involving any club, player, owner or official within its jurisdiction, it will institute disciplinary proceedings against such club, player, owner or official without waiting for finalisation of the pending criminal proceedings,” said Phillips.
But he made it clear that until such time, the PSL cannot assume the correctness of allegations published in the media and must give the affected parties the benefit of presumption of innocence.
”Should the league still not be in possession of any solid evidence on which to rely, for purposes of instituting internal disciplinary proceedings by the scheduled date, it must be accepted that the season will commence as per scheduled,” he said. — Sapa