Cape Town - The Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) has not taken too kindly to recent criticism by the South African Football Association (SAFA).
SAFA's National Executive Committee (NEC) said that COSAFA is in breach of its statutes. As a result, SAFA will no longer allow the regional body (COSAFA) to host its events in the country until further notice.
The comment was made at SAFA's Indaba at Emperor’s Palace last weekend.
On Wednesday, COSAFA responded with a statement, which read: 'COSAFA has noted with concern the unfortunate statements that have been made by the South African Football Association (SAFA) regarding hosting future COSAFA tournaments in South Africa.
'COSAFA wishes to confirm that it is determined to clear up any misunderstandings which may have arisen with SAFA. To this end, the COSAFA leadership is pursuing bilateral talks with SAFA to iron out any differences so that the matter can be resolved amicably.
'COSAFA remains committed to delivering on its mandate of developing football in Southern Africa, bringing together its 14 member associations to realise its shared dream of conquering African football.'
SAFA CEO Advocate Tebogo Motlanthe said that South Africa was hosting events without lodging bids.
“We have not been bidding for these COSAFA tournaments, but they’ve been happening here in South Africa," said Motlanthe.
"Let us not be burdened with tournaments which we have not bid for because, at some point, they go against our priorities as the Association.
"When you go to different government departments, they say their budgets have been spent on COSAFA tournaments because that is classified as football.
“We don’t want to be portrayed as a greedy country, which wants everything. And we believe that there is capacity within the (Southern African) zone to host."
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