/ 7 July 1997

Safa ‘surprised’ at sponsor pull-out

MONDAY, 2.30PM:

SOUTH African Football Association general manager Dennis Mumble said Safa is surprised at reports that Four Nations Tournament sponsor Foodcorp has withdrawn its R7-million backing of the competition. Mumble expressed his disappointment that “Awesome Sports International did not make us aware of this development”. He said Safa only learnt of the issue over the weekend.

On Sunday, Safa accused its controversial marketing arm Awesome Sports International (ASI) of holding it to ransom. “This is a complete suprise. We had a meeting with ASI last Monday and the issue of Foodcorp withdrawing their sponsorship was never raised,” said Mumble. Foodcorp’s reported decision to withdraw is said to have been influenced by the recent damning findings of the Pickard Commission.

SPORT BRIEFS

PRICE TO PLAY ZIMBABWEAN golfer Nick Price will play in the British Open at Royal Troon next week. Price pulled out of this week’s Western Open in Illinois due to tendonitis in his left shoulder.

GAUTENG BOXERS TOP THE Gauteng Amatuer boxing team won South Africa’s first national championship at Selati in Phalaborwa on Saturday. Silence Mabuza, Gauteng’s bantamweight champion, and KwaZulu Natal’s junior bantamweight champion Prince Msane were voted the best boxers in the senior catagory.

SA PUPILS IN SEMIS MADIBANE High School qualified for the semifinals of the World Schools Soccer Championships in Lima, Peru this weekend. Madibane beat defending champions from Israel 4-3 on penalty shootouts. Goalkeeper John Moshoeate was the hero, saving three penalties for the South Africans.