Column: South Africa debacle latest example of federations having to do better
None of South Africa's 23 players for the World Cup took part in Sunday's send-off friendly with Botswana as players became entangled in a dispute with SAFA over facilities and bonuses.
South Africa has become the latest nation to become embroiled in a dispute with its own federation ahead of the World Cup, which is now just 17 days away.
Banyana Banyana's issues have been more public than most as an extraordinary argument broke out between the team, SAFA [South African Football Association] and SAFPU [South African Football Players Union] on Sunday, all surrounding the team's send-off friendly against Botswana before heading down under.
Initially, squad members appeared to be dissatisfied with the venue chosen for the game - The Tsakane Stadium - due to an uneven surface which also had holes in it. Such is the standard of the ground, even top division games in the country aren't permitted to be played there, yet SAFA chose it as the venue for their women's first team.
There was also some apparent displeasure with the level of opposition chosen for the game. Botswana, while almost qualifying for the World Cup themselves in their right, are ranked 150th in the world, 96 places behind South Africa, and wasn't seen as the ideal preparation for taking on Italy, Argentina and Sweden when they arrive down under later this week.
Desiree Ellis, the team's long-standing head coach and former player, as well as a three-time CAF Coach of the Year, had tears in her eyes during an emotional pre-match interview where she reiterated she simply had to pick a team for the game after it was decided none of the 23 players selected by Ellis would take part in the game.
As the day unfolded, the situation got messier and messier. A video was released showing SAFA CEO and former player herself, Lydia Monyepao, in a passionate argument with SAFPU President Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe, who has been leading the discussions on behalf of the players, in front of the squad in the grounds of their base hotel.
Monyepao, disappointingly given her role as a former player herself, seemed to be arguing against her players, while Gaoshubelwe also spoke against SAFA President Danny Jordaan, who had spoken to the players on Friday and was set to meet them again on Saturday, but a second meeting never materialised.
Now stories have broken suggesting the main point of discussion is around the bonuses every South Africa player will be due from FIFA for their participation in the tournament. For the first time, FIFA has guaranteed every single player who takes part in the group stage $30,000, a large amount for some South African players who aren't even professional, and those players have requested that be written into their contracts.
Relevant Read: The Big Interview with Desiree Ellis
It appears Jordaan has refused that request, sparking further protests from players, with Gaoshubelwe speaking out passionately against Jordaan and SAFA for hampering the team's tournament preparations.
As it happens, Botswana also took issue with the state of the Tsakane Stadium pitch, and in the end they ran out 5-0 winners against a Banyana Banyana side thrown together by Jordaan on the day, with just 14 players in the squad after some Hollywoodbets Super League teams rejected SAFA's request to release players at short notice.
Things continued to spiral out of control as Gaoshubelwe was seen arguing with officials at the stadium who wouldn't even let the World Cup squad in to watch the match after they arrived partway through the first half, and now it appears the nation's Sports Minister, Zizi Kodwa, will get involved in trying to settle the dispute early this week.
It's a sorry state of affairs for a country which is bidding to host the next World Cup, and the last 24 hours will have done little to convince federations around the world they are up to the task. It's even sadder for Ellis and her squad who have worked so far to get this far, and continues a sorry trend building up to this World Cup.
Last week, Nigeria head coach Randy Waldrum criticised his nation's federation for sub-standard preparations to the tournament, while Jamaica's players had to start a gofundme due to lack of funds from their own federation. Earlier this year, Canada's players threatened to go on strike and Canada Soccer still appear to be in financial difficulties, meaning 4 out of the 32 teams in this month's tournament have become embroiled in recent public disputes with their federations.
Even European champions themselves England now appear to be in somewhat of a dispute with the FA regarding bonuses for the tournament, as more and more nations become intertwined in wrangles with their higher ups.
When you take into account the disputes between clubs and countries and broadcasters and FIFA, this World Cup is only going to show that while things are very merry at the top, there is so much work to be done within the women's game.
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