/ 11 May 2010

Heads roll at Safa

Heads Roll At Safa

The South African Football Association (Safa) said on Monday it has suspended its team manager and commercial director just a month before the Soccer World Cup.

Safa issued a statement saying Bafana Bafana team manager Sipho Nkumane and the association’s commercial director Victor Nosi were suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings.

“It must be emphasised that at this stage it is only allegations that have been levelled against … Nkumane and Nosi and any decisions as to whether these allegations are true or not will be left to external independent parties to determine,” the statement said.

Safa did not give any details of the allegations against Nkumane and Nosi.

“This is an internal process and no further information regarding this internal process will be furnished,” it said.

Safa said veteran football administrator Dennis Mumble had taken over as acting team manager.

Although the suspensions do not have any direct affect on tactics under coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, the timing will hurt the South African team with just a month before the host kicks off the World Cup against Mexico on June 11.

South Africa’s squad is currently in its final World Cup training camp in Johannesburg and held a workout on Monday morning.

The team begins its last round of friendly games against Thailand on Sunday in Nelspruit.

South Africa is also scheduled to play Bulgaria on May 24, Colombia on May 27 and Denmark on June 5.

The host nation, which is the lowest ranked team to host a World Cup, is desperate to prove it can compete with the best teams in the world, and has held training camps in Brazil and Germany to prepare for its biggest test in international football.

South Africa plays Mexico, Uruguay and France in Group A at the Cup. — Sapa-AP