By Mark Baber
June 12 – The South African Football Association (SAFA) agreed Wednesday to provide six-monthly progress reports on its financial affairs to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee after worries over worries over debts amounting to a reported R100 million ($9.4 million).
SAFA president Danny Jordaan said that SAFA would have no problem presenting a six-monthly progress report to SASCOC for the next two years, as the two organisations found a compromise in the dispute as to whether SASOC would conduct a full audit after receiving a dossier detailing financial irregularities. SAFA CEO, Dennis Mumble, had accused SASCOC of “messing” with SAFA’s name as well as breaking the “audi alteram partem rule prevalent in all societies around the world.”
SASCOC issued a statement saying they would “appoint a three-person team from its finance committee to meet with SAFA regarding its current financial position and turnaround strategy and milestones.”
Jordaan, speaking from Brazil, said: “I think the whole country knows we’ve signed sponsorship contracts with Nike, Ernst & Young, the Motsepe Foundation, Burger King and Grand Parade. We have South Africa Breweries, the SABC and SuperSport.
“On the football side we have created under-13 and under-15 leagues in SAFA’s 52 regions. Our Under-20 team and Banyana Banyana are playing very well.”
In a letter to SASCOC CEO Tubby Reddy, which came into the hands of the Star newspaper, Mumble had slammed the decision to audit saying, “Your decision runs counter to the audi alteram partem rule prevalent in all societies around the world.” In strong language, Mumble told Reddy SAFA would “challenge your connivance with the law enforcement structures to bring the association into disrepute.”
In other South African related news. SAFA is of course included among the 208 associations who will benefit from the windfall bonus (totalling R8-million – £750,000) from FIFA announced in Rio.
It was also announced from Brazil that SAFA was making a tactical withdrawal from hosting the eighth edition of the 2016 FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup finals. Jordaan explained the decision saying: “We have decided to give it back after the Fifa executive took a decision to link the Under-20 tournament and the senior World Cup finals.”
“The Under-20 World Cup will be used to test the readiness of the country hosting the tournament for the seniors. As you are aware, we announced earlier this year that we are going to bid to host the 2019 Women’s World Cup for seniors.
“In that case, we will also be given the 2018 Under-20 tournament because the two tournaments are going to be linked.”
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