The South African Football Association (Safa) skarreled big time on Sunday to put out a national women’s team against Botswana in Brakpan, after Banyana Banyana refused to play.
Coach Desiree Ellis’s team was scheduled to clash with the Mares of Botswana in a send-off match for the World Cup at the Tsakane Stadium in Brakpan on Sunday .
But die dinge het behoorlike geruk when the Australia and New Zealand-bound players refused to take any part in the match, citing the poor conditions of the pitch and the quality of the opposition as the cause for their refusal.
One more sleep before we get to watch Banyana Banyana 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦![CDATA[]]>🤩 for their @FIFAWWC send-off match against Botswana 🇧![CDATA[]]>🇼
— Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) July 1, 2023
Come show your love and fill up Tsakane Stadium!!!
🗓️Sunday 2 July 2023
⏰15:00
🏟️Tsakane Stadium
📺 LIVE on @Official_SABC1 #LiveTheImpossible pic.twitter.com/2qo89Rjxfp
The decision to boycott the fixture has been met with uncompromising resistance from the football governing body, who instead elected to scramble together a group of 20 players from outside the squad for the match to avoid the dilemma of a no-show.
It has also been reported that Safa has roped in Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture Zizi Kodwa in attempts to find a fast-tracked solution.
Banyana star striker Jermaine Seoposenwe is also said to have complained to SABC Sport about the association’s aid and organisation in the lead-up to the World Cup, stating that she felt Safa had not ‘done enough’ to help them.
She says: “The association might feel they’ve done enough, but I have a different opinion. At the end of the day, I am a player and my job is to come here, play and then leave.”
Banyana are set to depart for the World Cup on Wednesday, as they will face Sweden, Argentina, and Italy in the group stages.