Pretoria - The South African Football Association (SAFA) has moved to allay fears that Bafana Bafana's preparations for the upcoming World Cup could be placed in jeopardy following the suspension this week of two senior executives.
SAFA CEO Lesley Sedibe, who took over the association's management in January, raised eyebrows this week when he announced the suspension of Bafana team manager Sipho Nkumane barely a month before the kick-off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Nkumane's suspension followed shortly that of SAFA's commercial director, Victor Nosi. But an unapologetic Sedibe on Thursday came out in defence of his decision following days of speculation about the motives behind the suspensions.
"I can give you my absolute assurance that none of what I have done in the last few weeks, will in any way adversely affect the senior national men's team and their preparations for the world cup," Sedibe told a press conference organised by the National Press Club.
"My board, my team and I are unconditionally committed to ensuring that the coach and his team are provided with the physical and time related space to prepare as best as they can for the tournament," he said.
Sedibe went on to say the decision to suspend the duo came as a result of, among others, the ongoing evaluation of the level of "effectiveness" within SAFA, adding that it signals the beginning of a fair and objective internal process.
"I want to make it very clear that SAFA will handle this process with the utmost sensitivity to the individuals involved and will not do anything to compromise the fairness of the process," he said.
He would not be drawn into revealing the nature of the allegations leveled against the two opting to say it will all be out soon.
Asked on whether the decision could not have waited until after the World Cup, Sedibe responded: "I could not wait, it was a decision that needed to be taken...had I had any impression that it would affect the team I would not have taken it".
Meanwhile, Sedibe said all the issues surrounding Bafana's base camp had been resolved and that the team is now comfortably settled in their hotel, the Southern Sun situated in the posh suburb of Grayston.
The team needs all the training and preparation it can get ahead of a four match friendly line up before the World Cup kick-off.
Their clash against Thailand in Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit has been sold out and will be used as a test match for the city's readiness. Other confirmed friendlies include that against Bulgaria at Soccer City on 24 May, Columbia on 27 May and Denmark on 5 June.
With the English and European leagues drawing to an end, this week has saw some of the big names in the squad Benni McCarthy, Bernard Parker and Rowan Fenandez reporting for the camp.
Sedibe said Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has expressed his satisfaction with the training facilities at Milpark since the team returned from its successful training camp in Germany.
The couch will spend the next week assessing each of the new arrivals before he could make his final squad of 23 men by the end of the month.
