The fight against COVID-19 is still on, however His Majesty’s Government has recognized the effort of football in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. This was disclosed by the Honourable Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Harris Bulunga during the sponsorship launch of the 2020/21 MTN Premier League. “Football by being the first sporting code to voluntarily suspend matches when the pandemic attacked the world in March, set the tone for government in the fight against this virus”, Bulunga said. The Honourable Minister also highlighted that this decisioncontributed a lot towards saving the lives of Emaswati. “The Ministry extend its gratitude to all football stakeholders in understanding the decision of stopping the sport since March until October”, Bulunga said.
As the fight against COVID-19 pandemic still continues, the Honourable Minister stated it clear that no football fans will be allowed in the stadiums at least for now. “No fans will be allowed in the stadium and everyone must play his/her role in ensuring the safety of the populace”, Bulunga said. He also applauded MTN’s innovation in providing a digital platform where football fans can follow the action in the comfort of their homes. He also urged football lovers to embrace this innovation. Lastly, he assured the football family and the public that the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs and the Ministry of Health will continue to engage football authorities in as far as the fans attendance in the the stadiums is concerned.