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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
Premier Soccer League clubs have been warned against conducting Covid-19 tests without following the Zifa and Premiership’s medical protocols.

This follows news that three Bulawayo City FC players tested positive to Covid-19 after a “self initiated” testing exercise which resulted in its players, secretariat and coaching staff getting tested last Thursday.

The league said clubs must wait for the Zifa and PSL medical protocols before embarking on the exercise.

The league’s chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said they will reign in those that defy the warning.

Ndebele’s comments come after some clubs had asked if they can also copy City and get their players ready to return to action.

“Clubs mustn’t embark on unsanctioned Covid-19 testing. What Bulawayo City did was wrong because there will come a time when all clubs will have to undergo Covid-19 testing according to the Zifa and PSL medical protocols.

The league will not hesitate to act should any club defy this directive,” said Ndebele.

City sent it’s secretariat staff into isolation after three of their players tested positive to Covid-19.

The trio, whose names are known but have been withheld to protect them from stigma associated with the virus, become the first footballers in the domestic league to test positive to Covid-19.

A total of 15 City players, technical team members and the club’s secretariat underwent Covid-19 PCR testing on Thursday afternoon courtesy of the local authority’s health department.

Sikhumbuzo Ndebele, City’s general manager said it was just a coincidence that they conducted Covid-19 tests, a day before the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) granted football permission to resume training on condition that they meet certain Covid-19 health regulations.

Part of the regulations include having players, technical teams and support staff tested before resuming training.

Ndebele said: “There’s a wellness programme that we were embarking on and part of the conditions to do that open air event was to have participants testing for Covid-19. Unfortunately or fortunately the tests were done before the SRC’s announcement. We are however, as a club taking all necessary precautions following this incident.”-@ZililoR