JOHANNESBURG: South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan was arrested and charged Wednesday with using the group’s resources for his own purposes in a fraud and theft case amounting to 1.3 million rand ($72,000), police said.
Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court.
“The allegations are that between 2014 and 2018, the president of SAFA used the organization’s resources for his personal gain,” a police statement said.
He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorization from the SAFA board, the statement added.
Jordaan, 73, is reported to have hired the public relations firm after his reputation took a knock when a South African singer and former lawmaker alleged in 2017 that he had sexually assaulted her 25 years previously. He denied the allegations.
He was arrested “following an intensive investigation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation based in Johannesburg into allegations of R1.3 million fraud and theft,” police said.
Jordaan has been SAFA president since 2013 and was elected for a third time in 2022.
He was arrested with SAFA chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, head of the communications company cited in the charges, who also denied the accusations.
The court released the three on bail.
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South Africa football chief arrested on fraud, theft charges
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South Africa football chief arrested on fraud, theft charges
- Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court
- He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorization from the SAFA board
Decision to boycott India match puts pressure on Pakistan at the Twenty20 World Cup
- Pakistan government has instructed the national team to boycott its Feb. 15 Group A game against its sporting and political archrival
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will be in the spotlight more for its decision to boycott its marquee Twenty20 World Cup group-stage game against India rather than how well the team performs in the 20-team tournament starting Saturday.
The Pakistan government instructed the national team to boycott its Feb. 15 Group A game against its sporting and political archrival, a decision that shook the cricket world. It was announced moments after Pakistan had swept title contenders Australia 3-0 at Lahore in its final preparation for the tournament.
“It’s not our decision, we can’t do anything,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said in reference to Pakistan’s boycott. “We will do whatever our government and the chairman (Pakistan Cricket Board) tell us.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday confirmed the boycott was a way of showing solidarity with Bangladesh after it was ousted from the tournament.
One of the three Pakistan opponents in Group A is the United States, which eliminated Pakistan after the group stage of the 2024 tournament in Texas with its thrilling win in a super over. Netherlands also has a history of surprising much tougher opponents when in 2022 it beat South Africa.
Six current players — Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi — were in the playing XI in that game against the US.
Namibia is the other Associate country in the group, and Pakistan can’t afford a loss against any of its opponents after already conceding two points to India if it proceeds with the boycott.
Pakistan opens its tournament against Netherlands at Colombo, Sri Lanka on Saturday. It plays the United States next Tuesday, Feb. 10, then potentially has an eight-day break — the India game was scheduled for Feb. 15 — until it takes on Namibia on Feb. 18.
Pakistan’s squad has been transformed under coach Mike Hesson, a New Zealander who took over last year, and has since introduced an aggressive brand of cricket to compete against stronger T20 nations.
In the last two series, captain Agha showed plenty of intent to score at a brisk pace at No. 3 in Sri Lanka and at home against Australia.
Babar’s strike rate of 128.38 saw the leading run-scorer in the shortest format missing out on a large part of Pakistan preparations for the T20 World Cup before he was recalled in the home series against South Africa in late October.
Babar’s experience of batting on slow pitches earned him a place in the squad despite a below-par run for Sydney Sixers in Australia’s Big Bash League, where he scored 202 runs in 11 games.
Pakistan plans to continue with its tried and tested opening pair of Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan while Babar could anchor the innings at No. 4.
Pakistan is scheduled to play all its games in Sri Lanka, including semifinals and the final if goes that far in the tournament. And with the wickets expected to help the spinners, Pakistan has loaded its 15-member squad with variety of slow bowlers.
Spinner Usman Tariq has a unique bowling action and his long pause just before delivery of the ball surprised the Australians. Leg-spinners Shadab Khan and Abrar Ahmed; left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz and the offspin of Ayub in the power play will give Pakistan plenty of options.
Pakistan left out Haris Rauf, despite the fast bowler finishing among the top wicket-takers in Australia’s BBL, because selectors believe it’s the spinners who will be playing a dominant role in Sri Lanka.
Shah, Afridi and Salman Mirza are the three specialist fast bowlers in the squad with all-rounder Faheem Ashraf the other seam option.
Pakistan has a rich history in the T20 World Cup and it could be a team to watch despite the off-field distractions. It has featured in three finals, winning the title in 2009, and also reached the semifinals three other times.
The Pakistan government instructed the national team to boycott its Feb. 15 Group A game against its sporting and political archrival, a decision that shook the cricket world. It was announced moments after Pakistan had swept title contenders Australia 3-0 at Lahore in its final preparation for the tournament.
“It’s not our decision, we can’t do anything,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said in reference to Pakistan’s boycott. “We will do whatever our government and the chairman (Pakistan Cricket Board) tell us.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday confirmed the boycott was a way of showing solidarity with Bangladesh after it was ousted from the tournament.
One of the three Pakistan opponents in Group A is the United States, which eliminated Pakistan after the group stage of the 2024 tournament in Texas with its thrilling win in a super over. Netherlands also has a history of surprising much tougher opponents when in 2022 it beat South Africa.
Six current players — Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi — were in the playing XI in that game against the US.
Namibia is the other Associate country in the group, and Pakistan can’t afford a loss against any of its opponents after already conceding two points to India if it proceeds with the boycott.
Pakistan opens its tournament against Netherlands at Colombo, Sri Lanka on Saturday. It plays the United States next Tuesday, Feb. 10, then potentially has an eight-day break — the India game was scheduled for Feb. 15 — until it takes on Namibia on Feb. 18.
Pakistan’s squad has been transformed under coach Mike Hesson, a New Zealander who took over last year, and has since introduced an aggressive brand of cricket to compete against stronger T20 nations.
In the last two series, captain Agha showed plenty of intent to score at a brisk pace at No. 3 in Sri Lanka and at home against Australia.
Babar’s strike rate of 128.38 saw the leading run-scorer in the shortest format missing out on a large part of Pakistan preparations for the T20 World Cup before he was recalled in the home series against South Africa in late October.
Babar’s experience of batting on slow pitches earned him a place in the squad despite a below-par run for Sydney Sixers in Australia’s Big Bash League, where he scored 202 runs in 11 games.
Pakistan plans to continue with its tried and tested opening pair of Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan while Babar could anchor the innings at No. 4.
Pakistan is scheduled to play all its games in Sri Lanka, including semifinals and the final if goes that far in the tournament. And with the wickets expected to help the spinners, Pakistan has loaded its 15-member squad with variety of slow bowlers.
Spinner Usman Tariq has a unique bowling action and his long pause just before delivery of the ball surprised the Australians. Leg-spinners Shadab Khan and Abrar Ahmed; left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz and the offspin of Ayub in the power play will give Pakistan plenty of options.
Pakistan left out Haris Rauf, despite the fast bowler finishing among the top wicket-takers in Australia’s BBL, because selectors believe it’s the spinners who will be playing a dominant role in Sri Lanka.
Shah, Afridi and Salman Mirza are the three specialist fast bowlers in the squad with all-rounder Faheem Ashraf the other seam option.
Pakistan has a rich history in the T20 World Cup and it could be a team to watch despite the off-field distractions. It has featured in three finals, winning the title in 2009, and also reached the semifinals three other times.
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