TUESDAY, 11.30AM:
SOUTH AFRICA has won a tug of war with Italian Serie A club Bari over striker Phil Masinga. South Africa demanded the release of the striker in time for the Confederation Cup in Saudi Arabia from December 12-21.
The world controlling body Fifa requires teams to release international players a week before a Fifa-organised tournament. This means that Masinga, who was named in the team to face World Champions Brazil at Ellis Park on December 7, will be released before December 7 and will be available to play for his country. ”South Africa are not entitled to pick Masinga for any more friendlies, but we can call him up from December 4 for Saudi Arabia,” said South African Football Association CEO Danny Jordaan.
Meanwhile, Safa is still negotiating with English Premier League outfit Bolton Wanderers for the release of defender Mark Fish. ”As the Confederation Cup is a Fifa-backed tournament, clubs are under an obligation to release players. But at the same time Safa does not want to jeopadise the players’ careers with their clubs. This is a real dilemma,” added Jordaan.
Fifa requires that players be released by their clubs for at least seven international games each year. Both players have already completed the required seven-match qouta.
SPORT BRIEFS
SNOOKER CHAMPS SOUTH Africa’s Warren Horsley became the second African player after Talaat Wael to advance to the last 32 at the World Pro-Amateur snooker championships in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, on Monday. Horsley finished fourth in group B of the round-robin stage. Wael topped the group.
SA MEN FOURTH DEFENDING champions South Africa finished fourth in the Chiba International Marathon road relay men’s race in Japan on Monday. The five-man Kenyan team won the men’s title. Japan finished second, followed by Australia, and New Zealand came fifth. Japan won the women’s race. China came second and Romania took third place.
SUPER 12 COACHES BLUE Bulls rugby coach Eugene van Wyk was on Monday appointed as the coach of the Northern Bulls regional team to take part in next year’s Super 12 competition. The South African Rugby Football Union also confirmed other appointments — Peet Kleynhans of Free State will coach the Golden Cats, Ian McIntosh of the Coastal Region for Coastal Sharks and Harry Viljoen of Western Province for Cape Mountaineers.