South African Football Association (SAFA) has dismissed the Premier Soccer League’s proposal to restart the 2019/20 ABSA Premiership season on July 18, saying it is not realistic.

The PSL wrote to the country’s football governing body requesting that the season, which was suspended in March due to the Covid-19 crisis, resumes this month at selected venues in Gauteng.

However, SAFA CEO Tebogo Motlanthe insists the South African top-flight can only restart in August.

“I would like to express utter surprise at the contents of the letter, coming as it does only a few hours after we agreed at our meeting, (at the request of the NSL) that we cannot conduct any substantive deliberations due to Mr Murphy’s absence due to ill health,” wrote Motlanthe in response, as cited by Soccer Laduma. 

“The unilateral confirmation of training venues and date for resumption of play on 18 July 2020 by the NSL is against the spirit of our meeting and the resolutions of the Joint Liaison Committee. Sadly, it also undermines Minister Mthethwa’s directive that the Association should play an overarching role in this matter.

“I wish to reiterate two critical factors we outlined at the meeting today (Friday), namely; that we are committed to the resumption of play under safe conditions wherein the safety of players, team officials, match officials and other participants is not compromised and secondly, that for the reasons outlined at the meeting and in the presentation I have since sent you, it is not practical to expect resumption of play before 01 August 2020.”