Charity Cup put on hold

By PATRICIA KEAMO
THE Port Moresby Soccer Association’s (PMSA) Charity Cup, which was supposed to be played during the upcoming Easter weekend, will not take place due to the suspension of all sporting activities.
Played every Easter, the Charity Cup is aimed at bringing teams together to celebrate the occasion through football.
PMSA president Joseph Ealedona told The National yesterday that the pre-season should have been underway by now with the season to kick off early next month, but everything had now been put on hold to comply with the national isolation strategy.
“Just like the other sports, we have suspended our competition because of the isolation strategy,” he said.
“It’s challenging but we have to assist in the efforts to curb the increasing number of Covid-19 cases and deaths.
“Our original programme was to start our season on April 10 which is two weeks away.
“We would have been in our pre-season now.
“Initially, we planned to hold the Charity Cup this weekend.
“But this will not happen as we await a review of the isolation strategy which I believe will be done within a month of the start of the isolation measures.
“It’s really difficult, given the situation now.
“But the onus is in the communities to strictly follow the “Niupela Pasin”.
“I call on all association members and sports to follow this to help curb the increase, so we can play our games.”
The Papua New Guinea Football Association has notified all its member associations not to host any competitions during the period of the isolation strategy.
Meanwhile, Ealedona has urged the Port Moresby Soccer Association’s players to do their own training to keep fit.