Safa backs Baxter to appeal Fifa ruling
Association says coach Baxter has support, for now
A day after the Bureau for the Fifa World Cup Qualifiers ordered a replay of the qualifier between Bafana Bafana and Senegal, SA Football Association officials were silent on the matter, except to say they would challenge the decision.
At a media conference in Johannesburg yesterday, where Safa announced the extension of Sasol’s sponsorship of Banyana Banyana until 2021, the local football governing body’s president, Danny Jordaan, refused to answer questions about their plan after the ruling.
However, the association’s spokesman, Dominic Chimhavi, confirmed yesterday that they were studying the matter and were prepared to challenge it.
“We are closely studying the contents of the report [which was sent by Fifa on Wednesday] and will issue a statement on intentions to challenge that decision. In the meantime, all issues related to this matter will be handled by Senior Counsel Norman Arendse,” Chimhavi said.
As it stands, Bafana find themselves bottom of their World Cup qualifying Group D with a single point, their victory over Senegal last year having now been annulled after Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey was found to have manipulated the match.
Bafana won 2-1, having been awarded a dubious penalty in the November match.
Fifa has ordered the countries to face off in November in back-to-back qualifiers, making Bafana’s task of qualifying for the finals in Russia next year even more arduous.
After this week’s defeat by Cape Verde, which hugely dented Bafana’s hopes, Safa chief Dennis Mumble admitted that they were disappointed but added “it is still too early to think about coach Stuart Baxter’s future”.
“The whole country is not happy about the way things have happened so far and we are also not happy‚ quite obviously, about the performance.
“But please don’t ask me about the coach and the future of the coach.
“It’s too early for us to get to that point.”
‘‘ Don’t ask me about the coach and his future