The Betway Premiership is heading toward a dramatic photo finish as league debutants Orbit College find themselves holding the keys to the South African football kingdom. In a classic David versus Gol...
The 16 Premier Soccer League teams in the Betway Premiership are edging closer to the end of a gruelling 10-month season as they prepare for their final two matchday league fixtures.
Mamelodi Sundown...
Orlando Pirates Football Club has announced the appointment of Abdeslam Ouaddou from Marumo Gallants as the new Head Coach.
This comes after Ouaddou resigned from his role with the Bloemfontein-based side in May after overseeing 12 matches last season.
In a statement released by the ‘Buccaneers’ on Monday morning, the team said the 46-year-old brings a wealth of experience both as a player and a tactician.
“A former Moroccan international, Ouaddou earned 68 caps for the Atlas Lions and enjoyed a distinguished playing career across several top European leagues. His deep understanding of the game, coupled with a strong leadership profile, positions him well to lead the Buccaneers into a new era,” read the statement.
Coach Ouaddou, who is expected to arrive in South Africa towards the end of the week, will be assisted by Mandla Ncikazi and Rayaan Jacobs, Helmi Gueldich and Tyron Damons.
Pre-season preparations will officially kick off on June 27.
SuperSport has confirmed the passing of boxing and football commentator Phumlani Msibi, who died on Friday night after a short illness. The sports channel said that the 57-year-old Msibi started at SuperSport as a ring announcer with the late boxing promoter, Mzi Mnguni, and gradually became a seasoned boxing commentator in the 1990s, as well as the first to commentate in isiZulu and English on the sports. “Msibi soon embedded himself in the football sphere, becoming one of the faces and voices of football on SuperSport following the acquisition of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) broadcast rights in 2007,” said the Sports Channel. Minister of Recreation, Sports, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie has joined mourners and passed his condolences to the Msibi family. He said, “My deepest and most sincere condolences to the Msibi family. Mooi loop, grootman.”
The party continues for the newly crowned ICC World Test champions – the Proteas – as they will be at the Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton this afternoon to meet and greet with fans.
South Africa Water Polo (SAWP) have celebrated their court victory against the authoritative governing body for aquatic sports in the country Swimming South Africa (SSA).
In a David and Goliath court battle, the emergent organisation, formed with the support of hundreds of water polo players, South Africa Water Polo (SAWP), has celebrated its court victory against the authoritative governing body for aquatic sports in the country, Swimming South Africa (SSA).
However, the SSA said they would be consulting on their next steps following the court order in which the organisation sought interdictory relief against SAWP, which they claimed acted as if it had the authority to govern or administer the sport of water polo in South Africa.
SAWP registered their organisation during February this year and was started to address “the failure of the SSA to take water polo seriously and which, according to them, has resulted in the ‘parlous, shambolic and neglected state in which water polo currently finds itself in South Africa, with a lack of meaningful transformation, poor administration, a dearth of fundraising initiatives, and a non-existent high performance programme”.
According to SAWP, their organisation was established as the SSA’s “focus is almost exclusively on swimming and is heavily skewed in favour of swimmers as opposed to water polo players”.
In their arguments, SSA sought a final interdict against SAWP preventing them from: purporting to carry out the administration or governance of the sport of water polo in South Africa; and interfering with the affairs of SSA.
Among their relief sought, SSA wanted the SAWP interdicted from directing or encouraging any person or entity to boycott or avoid participating in events held under the auspices of SSA; dissuading or discouraging persons from participating in local or international water polo events where the SSA is organising, or has organized, a team to participate in “that international event”; interfering with communications by the SSA to its water polo membership.
SSA is the national federation for purposes of the National Sport and Recreation Act (NSRA) in respect of the aquatic disciplines of diving, open water swimming, swimming, synchronised swimming, and water polo.
It is also a member of the South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) and is currently the only national federation in South Africa that is recognized as the responsible body for, inter alia, the sport of water polo by World Aquatics, the international federation responsible for all aquatic sports.
SAWP interim CEO Robbie Taylor said the ruling was a moral victory not only for the water polo community, but for all sporting communities in South Africa that were seeking to establish independent federations for the sake of improved governance and opportunities for developing and star athletes.
“This win is important validation of the local water polo community’s mission to restore purpose and world-class excellence to the sport we love so much… Today isn’t just a win in the pool; it’s a win for every player, coach, parent, and fan who believes in a better future for our sport. This is about standing up, standing together, breaking the shackles of inept administration and building a brighter future,” said Taylor.
SSA spokesperson, Mafata Modutoane, said: “While we respect the outcome of the judicial process, we are disappointed that our application to interdict activities which we believe compromise the structure, order, and integrity of the sport was not granted.
“Nonetheless, SSA remains steadfast in our mandate to regulate and grow aquatics responsibly and inclusively. To be absolutely clear: Water Polo South Africa is not affiliated to Swimming South Africa, nor is it authorised to organise competitions under our name.”
In the judgment, Western Cape High Court Judge Judith Cloete noted: “The applicant (SSA) cannot seriously suggest that the respondents (SAWP) do not have the constitutionally entrenched right to freedom of association contained in S 18 of the Bill of Rights, and that the same applies to any individual water polo player wishing to join the respondents.
“The Constitutional Court has made clear that freedom of association is a fundamental right which protects against coercion, enables individuals to organise around particular areas of concern, and to hold both public and private bodies to account…
“The applicant alleged in the founding affidavit that it has no suitable alternative remedy since the respondents 'have refused to engage with the applicant and have instead allowed this fight to spill into the media, with the intent of embarrassing … (the applicant) … and seeking to promote their own interests.'
"However the evidence to which I have already referred demonstrates that from the outset the respondents have expressed the clear intention to engage with the applicant. Furthermore, the respondents set out a number of factual examples of prior attempts by various stakeholders and role players in water polo to engage with the applicant, all apparently to no avail.”
Could Orlando Pirates starlet Relebohile Mofokeng be moving to Israel?
Israeli publication Sport5 reports that Maccabi Haifa have registered an interest in the 20-year-old Mofokeng, who has also been courted by Spanish giants Barcelona recently.
As a result, Pirates are said to have slapped a €1.5 million (R31.2 million) price tag on the youngster, plus a percentage on any future sale. The report suggests Maccabi Tel Aviv are also keeping tabs on Mofokeng.
Last year, it was reported that Barcelona were keen on the player and had made inquiries. However, nothing concrete has come from that interest to date.
Mofokeng has become a fan favourite at Orlando Pirates since being given his big break by former head coach Jose Riveiro two seasons ago. His impressive performances have also seen him make the step up to international football.
If Mofokeng were to complete the move to Israel, he would become the 10th South African to play football in the country in recent years. In the past, Thembinkosi Fanteni, Bevan Fransman, Tsepo Masilela, Mihlali Mayambela, Dino Ndlovu, Siyabonga Nkosi, Zama Rambuwane, and Siyanda Xulu have all played in the country.
Currently, former Mamelodi Sundowns defender Rushine De Reuck plies his trade in Israel.
A move to Israel would be a controversial one for Mofokeng. The country is currently engaged in what the South African government calls a genocide against the people of Palestine.
In 2023, South Africa’s government approached the International Court of Justice to open a case against Israel’s continued conduct in the Gaza Strip that resulted in a humanitarian crisis and mass killings.
Last week, Israel launched an unprovoked missile attack against Iran.
Perennial South African champions Sundowns qualified for FIFA's lucrative new tournament on the back of their record over the last four years in African competitions.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso knows the Club World Cup will be a huge test of his side's credentials and said Monday making it out of the group stage would be "an incredible achievement" as they prepare for their opening game.
"I don't believe there is one single team before the competition that doesn't believe they can make the next stage," Cardoso said when asked about his team's tournament prospects ahead of their Group F clash with Ulsan HD of South Korea.
"Obviously for us it would be an incredible achievement to go through the group stage but before we achieve that we need to get points so we need to play a very complete match tomorrow."
Perennial South African champions Sundowns qualified for FIFA's lucrative new tournament on the back of their record over the last four years in African competitions.
However, they travelled to the United States still reeling after losing to Pyramids of Egypt in the final of the CAF Champions League two weeks ago.
Putting in a good showing in a group also featuring German giants Borussia Dortmund and Brazilian powerhouses Fluminense would help make up for that disappointment.
"I know it's going to be tough but I expect it to be beautiful," said the 53-year-old Portuguese Cardoso, who has also coached in France, Spain, Greece and Tunisia.
"We need to take it to the limit. There is a ceiling you need to go through at this Club World Cup.
"We need to understand what level we are playing at, and now just show what we can do and take the results as they come."
After Sundowns meet Ulsan in Orlando they will head to Cincinnati to face Dortmund this weekend before taking on Fluminense in Miami on June 25.
"I am pretty excited to see an African team against an Asian team and am curious to see how we deal with playing Dortmund and a Brazilian team," Cardoso said.
"It's three different tests and in the end they should all help us develop."
