Bafana legend Brian Baloyi pleads for fans to return to stadiums: 'I'm bored!'

Renowned former Bafana Bafana, Kaizer Chiefs, and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Brian Baloyi pleaded with authorities to open stadiums for spectators for the benefit of South African football.

The domestic Premier Soccer League has locked fans out since the pandemic started, not allowing even the 2 000 government-permitted fans like rugby and cricket has done.

International and CAF continental fixtures have been the exception.

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Frustrated football fans are planning a peaceful protest outside the most popular game of the season between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium on 5 March.

Baloyi spoke about the troubling matter at the crowning of this year's South African Football Journalist Association (Safja) Women's Footballer-of-the-Year, which went to Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies defender Bambanani Mbane.

Mbane won the SAFA Women's Super League and a historic first-ever CAF Women's Champions League with Sundowns Ladies.

"I'm bored," said "Spiderman" Baloyi.

"For the last two years, I've been watching football on TV and on the stands, there's just sponsors. It's boring.

"We want to be part of the action and be in the stadiums. Football is about experiencing it live more than on TV.

"I speak as a fan and someone who loves football. I enjoy watching it live than television.

"We are tired of watching football on TV. The Soweto derby is not the same. Chiefs-Sundowns, Pirates-Sundowns, all those games are not the same.

"When I look at the whole experience over the last two years, I'd hate to have been part of this generation and experience this."

Baloyi said the lockout could have terrible repercussions for the psyche of South African footballers, who will grow