South Africa FA ready to go to CAS over qualifier against Ghana

The CEO of the South Africa Football Association Tebogo SAFA, Motlanthe has hinted that they would move to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) should they not be satisfied with the outcome of their appeal against the penalty Ghana were awarded in the World Cup qualifiers.

SAFA immediately lodged a protest with FIFA over the controversial penalty on November 14 – that was converted by Andre Ayew – in Cape Coast which ended Bafana Bafana’s dream of progressing to the World Cup play-offs.

“I think as South Africans, the mistake we have made is that everyone thought the decision would be announced on November 23,” Motlanthe told Sowetan Live an anxious nation waits for Fifa’s answers.

“Remember, they said they were going to listen to the matter on the 23rd. Fifa didn’t say they were going to give a decision on that day, so let’s just give them their time to do their work.

“There are a lot of things they are dealing with. If they don’t give you a good reason, you can still go and challenge the matter with CAS. So they’d rather do their work and we give them the space.”

There have been reports that an official from Ghana travelled to Senegal and met referee N’Diaye Maguette before the actual match day.

Motlanthe said they have received a lot of information from the West African country and they are ready to disclose them to Fifa.

“There has been a lot of information that is coming from Ghana itself about a lot of things, so they are giving us information,” he added.

“Fifa said if there is information you get, you must disclose it. If not, then you are part of it. So we will wait and see, and not put pressure on them. Let them do their investigations.

“We ask everyone to remain patient.”

The World Cup play-offs will hold in March with 10 African nations seeking the five slots allocated to Africa.