PLE IN COVID-19 VACCINE CAMPAIGN

MBABANE – The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) is targeting over 15 000 people in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign to be launched this week.

The PLE hopes that government would allow vaccinated supporters to playing venues when the 2021/ 22 season resumes in the next three weeks. The campaign is targeting to sensitise the positives and benefits of vaccinating for COVID-19. The campaign would include all stakeholders in football, being the players, officials and supporters is tentatively set for Thursday.

campaign

PLE missed out in the ‘Jovel’ Industry’ campaign attended by three ministers being Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga, Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi and Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo at the Business Eswatini premises, Emafini last Wednesday. The PLE will be hosting the event at Mavuso Sports Centre, where football personnel are expected to come in their numbers to vaccinate. The campaign is expected to continue in and around the country’s town and regions for the next two weeks. PLE Executive Member Charles Matsebula, in the company of the Chief Operations Officer (COO) Pat Vilakati, said football is one of the biggest industry in terms of attracting a large group of people as they attract about 15 000 people per weekend when football games are at peak.

logistics

He said some of the logistics concerning the launch will be communicated today, especially confirming the dates, time and the guests to attend the event. “If the football people come together and vaccinate, there are high chances that supporters would be allowed back to the stadium. The fans are missed at the stadiums and teams struggled financially in the past season without the supporters. It is this time when all football stakeholders should come together and achieve this goal which also affected the country’s economy. We want to see many people vaccinating,” he said. Matsebula said by launching the vaccination campaign, they were assisting the country to get many people vaccinated. He said during the launch it is where they will be explaining the importance of vaccinating and the advantages of the whole exercise. “We want football to be played in a safe environment. A vaccinated person is at lower risks to be affected by COVID-19 than one who has not vaccinated. More details concerning the launch will be communicated to all stakeholders. We want to go back to normal as soon as possible,” he concluded.

banned

Fans were banned from football venues since its resumption in December last year. In European countries, fans have been allowed back to stadium and they have achieved this through the vaccine roll out programme. Some supporters from almost all the teams in the country yesterday visited the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Sigwaca House, where they raised a concern that they want to vaccinate and be allowed back to the stadiums. Over 15 fans were part of the group that visited the football house and they concurred with the PLE that they would be all out to vaccinate at Mavuso Sports Centre this week.

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