The Democratic Alliance (DA) has urged National Assembly sport committee chairperson Butana Komphela to have the Premier Soccer League (PSL) explain why executive members should get a R50-million ”commission” to secure a R500-million sponsorship deal.
Komphela has a history of calling the South African Rugby Union (Saru) to the committee at every opportunity to explain issues such as quotas, but has remained strangely silent since the reports of the PSL/Absa deal broke earlier this week, DA spokesperson James Masango said.
”However, this is not the first crisis to hit the PSL this year. Earlier in 2007, a refereeing scandal was uncovered, where allegations were made that many referees accept bribes from clubs to help fix matches,” he said.
Even 2010 Soccer World Cup local organising committee chairperson and Orlando Pirates owner Irvin Khoza had recently hit out at the state of South African soccer, criticising the management and administration of the game.
”By all accounts, the PSL is turning South African soccer into an administrative joke, which, to paraphrase Trevor Manuel, the Minister of Finance, should be about the furthering the best interests of soccer, not self-enrichment,” Masango said.
Corporate sponsorships were possibly the best way of attracting the large sums of money needed to run and develop sports on a national basis.
However, the sports bodies that accepted the money should be held accountable for the manner in which the money was spent.
A 10% commission from a corporate sponsorship was 10% not spent on finding and developing new talent, buying top-class equipment or turning South African sports people into world-class athletes.
With 2010 around the corner, this was very embarrassing to the country, which should be proud of the PSL.
”For this reason, Butana Komphela should call the PSL into the portfolio committee; they are mishandling the ‘beautiful game’ and driving all of South Africa into disrepute,” Masango said. — Sapa