AS THE Algerian Health ministry on Thursday confirmed the country’s first death from the coronavirus, Zimbabwe football stakeholders reiterated their call for the Warriors’ impending African Cup of Nations’ qualifier against Algeria in Bilda to be relocated or shelved.
The total number of confirmed cases in the North African country has climbed to 24, prompting Algerian President Abdel-Majid Tebboun to order an immediate suspension of schools and universities to curb the outbreak.
According to a statement by the Algerian presidency, the primary, middle and secondary schools will remain closed until April 5.
Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) say they have written to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) requesting a postponement or relocation of the March 26 encounter.
“We are supposed to go to Algeria. We have written to CAF to say we don’t want to risk our players and the nation by going to Algeria and have written to CAF for them to postpone the match so that its scheduled for another day because they are quite a number of confirmed cases in Algeria,” ZIFA president Felton Kamambo told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation on Thursday.
“If they don’t want to postpone the match then they should at least move the match to another venue where there are not confirmed cases….We hope they will field a neutral venue or cancel the match. To us this is a crucial match and whoever wins the match is on their way to qualifying for AFCON,” he added.
Health minister Obadiah Moyo says he will furnish President Emmerson Mnangagwa with the drawbacks of Zimbabwe national football team’s intended travel to Blida.
“We understand that our (national football) team will be playing in Algiers. That is where we have a problem,’’ Moyo said in Senate on Tuesday.
‘‘They will go there and meet other people. We understand that in Algeria there are people who are sick and they will meet those people. We have to quickly see what we can do on that issue. They must not go, is it not? I want to thank you because I have heard you agreeing with me. I will take that word up.’”
“…In other countries, only the playing teams go to the stadia, only 22 players will be in the stadium and they play without spectators. It is no longer the issue of us being many,” Moyo said.