No request for fans yet: Suwae

By PATRICIA KEAMO
ORGANISERS of the National Soccer League say they are yet to seek National Control Centre approval for the return of spectators to the country’s premier football competition.
The league is heading into round five with football fans yet to attend matches in Port Moresby and Lae since the start of the season.
Papua New Guinea Football Association competitions director Roosje Suwae told The National on Monday that they would make a submission once they met the requirements set by the Office of the National Pandemic Response Controller.
“The competitions department will submit a request for the return of spectators once it is satisfied that all the controller’s requirements are met,” she said.
“We can only (make a) request when we know that we have met all the requirements.”
The Niupela Pasin requirements include measures like social distancing at Port Moresby’s PNG Football Stadium and Lae’s Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium as well as the wearing of face masks.
Suwae said arrangements for social distancing at the Port Moresby venue had been made while work was still in progress at Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium.
Meanwhile, Christopher Raymond Jr, the centre’s Niupela Pasin unit team leader, said last week that matches would continue without spectators until they had received the submission.
“Once a request reaches our office, we have standard operating procedures to follow like the condition of the venue, its capacity, and the game-day protocols for teams and spectators,” the team leader said.
“We will assess them first and if they have satisfied all the requirements needed to host spectators, they will be cleared to go ahead.
“For now, we are monitoring the situation with all sporting competitions and only time will tell if they can fully open up to spectators.”