BARBOURFIELDS (BF) and Luveve stadiums have been closed with immediate effect due to construction that is taking place at the facilities for the African Union Sports Council Region V Under-20 Youth Games to be hosted by Bulawayo in December.
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Effectively, the Chibuku Super Cup first round matches scheduled for the weekend in Bulawayo have been moved to the Midlands with Highlanders taking on Shabanie Mine at Ascot Stadium in Gweru while Chicken Inn and How Mine lock horns at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane on Sunday.
The closure of the facilities is to allow for smooth refurbishments before handing over of the infrastructure to the regional organising committee (ROC) of the African Union Sports Council Region V Games by the September 30 deadline.
Region V Games local organising committee marketing director, also the Premier Soccer League chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele, yesterday confirmed the development.
“The two stadia have been closed forthwith. The guys doing construction have said they don’t want to be interrupted.
“What it means is that the two facilities have been closed until after the Youth Games in December,” Ndebele said.
He said the next home PSL games for the Bulawayo teams, Highlanders, Chicken Inn, How Mine and Bantu Rovers would now be played at Hartsfield Rugby Ground.
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Zimbabwe will be hosting 15 countries in the City of Kings and Queens for the Region V Under-20 Youth Games and a few weeks ago, the ROC chairman Mvuzo Mbebe told journalists that they were happy with the progress on facilities in the city.
The committee was satisfied that the Sepetember 30 deadline would be met.
Facilities that are undergoing refurbishment include White City, Barbourfields and Luveve stadiums, the Bulawayo Athletics Club, Bulawayo Pool, the ZITF grounds and Hillside Teachers’ College.
Hillside Teachers’ College will be the games village where athletes from countries taking part in the games will be accommodated.
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, Namibia, Malawi, Lesotho, Botswana, Mozambique, Angola, Swaziland, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar will be taking part in the games.
Chibuku Super Cup First Round Fixtures Saturday ZPC Kariba v Harare City (Rimuka), FC Platinum v Bantu Rovers (Mandava), Caps United v Chapungu (Rufaro) Sunday Dynamos v Black Rhinos (Gwanzura), Highlanders v Shabanie Mine (Ascot), Hwange v Triangle (Colliery), Buffaloes v Chiredzi (Sakubva), How Mine v Chicken Inn (Mandava)
