PSL and Ria Star talks go down to the wire

The PSL were late on Wednesday trying to strike a peace accord with disgruntled Ria Stars who were adamant they will not agree to the switching of their second semifinal Telkom Charity cup game against Moroka Swallows.

The two teams were drawn to play after Orlando and Kaizer Chiefs had featured in the first semi-final at 10am.

But the organisers felt that could create similar problems which caused the stampede that killed 43 people when the two teams played at Ellis Park in April.

With the gates opening at 8am, organisers feared that this could create a similar disaster and with Judge Bernard Ngoepe currently chairing a commission of inquiry into last April's tragedy, a decision was taken to shift the Pirates/Chiefs game to noon.

But that did not sit well with Stars and Swallows who both expressed disappointment and Ria Ledwaba, co-director of Ria Stars, was adamant that she will not agree to the switching of her game as she was not party to such an agreement.

"As far as I'm concerned," said Ledwaba, "my game against Swallows goes ahead as scheduled at noon. Whoever informed the public that we have agreed to the switching of the games was lying as we were never informed about such changes.

"I received a fax that bears Wednesday's date and the time it was faxed to me, a day after the PSL had publicly announced that everybody has agreed to the changes in kick-off times while we were not part of that agreement.

Reasons

"I sympathise with the PSL and I understand their reasons why they feel the need to switch the games. But they must not undermine us by simply effecting changes without discussing the matter with us in the first place.

"My patience has now been tested to the limit. Why is it so difficult to facilitate our lines of communication? In any case, I think people attend the charity to support the four teams and not who is playing who, at what time."

Swallows spokesman Gavin Bernstein, who announced that they have completed the signing of former Hellenic man Peter Petersen, also expressed his disappointment about the PSL decision and said he had dispatched a letter to the organisation to that effect.

"We are very unhappy," said Bernstein. "Let me stress that we will not boycott the game. But we have been very hard done by. However, we will honour the game as it is for charity."

PSL CEO Robin Petersen said he was busy in a meeting when asked whether an agreement has finally been reached between all the parties involved, adding he didn't see the situation as a dispute but a problem they were trying to resolve.

Late on Thursday night, Ledwaba appeared to relent and disclosed she had sent a proposal to the PSL suggesting that the Pirates/Chiefs game be played at 11am instead of 10am and their game against Swallows to kick-off at 1pm, but was still awaiting their response.