Johannesburg - The scope of the probe into the match-fixing allegations of Bafana Bafana’s 2010 World Cup preparatory matches should be extended to the post-World Cup period.
So says former Bafana coach Pitso “Jingles” Mosimane, who deputised for Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira during the national team’s alleged fixed matches in June 2010.
“We might find more than this (2010 World Cup preparatory matches). You never know, especially when there are top officials (implicated). Let’s wait and see,” said Mosimane, who was sacked by the SA Football Association in July.
“When you look back, even at the post-2010 (matches) during my era (as Bafana coach), you hope and believe that there was nothing (involving match-fixing).”
On Monday, Safa admitted there was a prima facie case against several of its high-ranking officials - including its president Kirsten Nematandani - of involvement in an alleged match-fixing scandal.
Safa announced that a commission of inquiry would be appointed to probe its officials fingered by a damning Fifa report which found that four of Bafana’s pre-2010 World Cup matches were allegedly fixed.
“Some of us were dented on the basis of those (post-2010) results. It’s disturbing and I hope and pray that things like that were not part (of the match-fixing scandal). Our integrity in football is important and I would like to see that being restored,” said Mosimane.
He added he was pleased that the Fifa report had not implicated any of the technical staff members and players.
Clive Barker, the only coach to have led Bafana to victory in the 1996 Afcon tournament, was cagey. “I think I believe in the people who are running Safa… If the allegations are true I would be very shocked and dismayed.”
Former Safa chief executive officer Leslie Sedibe, one of the officials fingered by the report, on Tuesday expressed his willingness to testify at the commission of inquiry. He would request a copy of the report from Safa, he said.
The Star