Winter tourney leaves teams cold

Tsakani – The competing teams are furious because the Push and Pass LFA Winter Games tournament started but never reached the finals.

The Brakpan Local Football Club Association (BLFA) chairperson, Charles Mokoena, and co-ordinator Venus Mmetle co-ordinated the tournament. The competition started on June 17 but was abandoned after the teams reached the semi-finals.

“They know that according to the rules we follow, the tournament has to end with a final. All the affiliated teams need to see which team won.

“We cannot walk away from a competition that was cut short. That means that they scammed us of our money. This is not what we signed up for,” explained Masa Ndlovu of the MaNdlovu FC in Thembisa.

She claims she paid more than R5 000 to affiliate the club’s U11, U13, U15 and U17 teams.

“Our U11s did not even get a chance to play. We spent even more money getting the teams from Thembisa to Tsakani. The children know this fight is not just about money. It is a matter of principle. These people must finish the tournament or give back our money,” she added.

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Ndlovu said her club is unwilling to stay in the tournament if it remains uncompleted this year. Thabang Mokoena from TEC United said there were many issues from the start.

“When we saw the advertisement for the tournament, we thought it would be a great opportunity for the club. We first noticed no LOCs (local organising committees) at the matches. When we had disputes, no one was there to resolve them,” he explained.

Mokoena, also part of the LFA, said the club’s super (open) made it through to the semis.

“At that point, we could see there was no way forward. We asked the organisers why the tournament could not move forward, but they kept giving us different answers,” he added.

According to Mokoena, more than 25 teams were affiliated with the tournament, meaning the organisers pocketed more than R60 000. Mmetle admitted that they faced some challenges.

“The real issue was that the sponsors delayed us. We could not have the final without the prize money. As soon as our sponsors come back to us, we will announce the dates for the semi-finals and the finals. We will finish the tournament,” he explained.

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