Gloves are off as top official gets suspended

VOCAL Mdantsane Local Football Association (Mdalfa) deputy president Xolani Bishoti has been suspended by Safa-BCM for criticising the association’s regional and national leaders.

He was also suspended for allegedly acting in violation of the Safa media policy by going to the media to attack the regional executive.

However, if Bishoti’s comments are anything to go by, he will not be taking his suspension lying down as he has roped in his legal team to map out a way forward.

Should he decide to take the legal route to fight his suspension, the association could be embroiled in a legal battle that could last months or even years.

Bishoti, who is also the head of the Buffalo City Sport Confederation, landed in hot water in November last year when in a “veiled attack” referred to the regional footballing control body as moving backwards.

He had been addressing the EL Central LFA end-of-year awards, where he was introduced as “deputy president of Mdalfa – our allies” by Central’s executive member Burton Brown. ELCFA and the region have been butting heads for more than three years over the running of the region.

Yesterday, Safa-BCM spokesman Abel Iglesius confirmed that the decision to suspend Bishoti had been taken last year.

But he was only served with his suspension letter three weeks ago.

“The Safa-BCM regional executive committee met on Monday 5 December 2016 and resolved to suspend him from all footballing activities until he appears before the disciplinary committee,” he said.

“On January 14, he was given his suspension letter. The disciplinary committee is still going to sit but I don’t have the details yet. But we are hoping to have it within the next two weeks.”

Bishoti was also suspended for talking to the Dispatch and being a guest speaker at dissolved structures’ events, Iglesius said.

This relates to the above-mentioned East London Central LFA event that Bishoti addressed despite the Gavin van Rooyenheaded body also being dissolved in June last year.

“We all need rules and if people want to act outside those rules, obviously there will be sanctions. If you live in a country you have to abide by its constitution.

“And if you are part of an organisation, then you must abide by its rules,” said Iglesius.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Bishoti would only say: “I am not available to comment as this is being handled by my legal team and my principals. I am consulting with lawyers and my principals, the Sport Confederation.”

The former Safa-BC president has always maintained that he delivered the address that landed him in hot water in his “sport council” capacity and not as Mdalfa’s second in command.

Because the confederation does not answer to Safa, Bishoti has previously said Safa had no grounds to suspend him.