By Andrew Warshaw
December 16 – Danny Jordaan, the organiser of last year’s World Cup in South Africa, has hit back at what he claims was a personal attack on him following his withdrawal from the race to take over football in Southern Africa.
Jordaan withdrew his candidacy for President of the 14-nation Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) just hours before Suketu Patel of the Seychelles was elected for a second term, another blow to his efforts to secure a meaningful position in football administration.
After the election in Botswana, Jordaan, vice-president of the South African Football Association, was given short shrift by the Namibia Football Association (NFA) secretary general, Barry Rukoro, who said he would have lost by a landslide and could not be trusted.
Jordaan is furious at what he claims is an unnecessary attack on his character.
“His [Rukoro’s] alleged media utterances were arrogant and personal, just bitterness in their victory,” Jordaan told South African newspaper The New Age.
“Must I remind them that they have won, so that they can start celebrating my withdrawal?
“We are not desperate for the COSAFA post.
“This election was going to be decided on a split decision and that is why those who were going to vote for South Africa are very angry – because we took a decision without consulting them first.
“The fact is that there was no clear winner between Patel and myself, until I withdrew.
“To transform COSAFA, I’d prefer to have a full regional backing, not factions.”
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