Leslie Sedibe hits out after FIFA ban

This followed a five-year ban from all football activities and a 20,000 Swiss francs (about R300,000) fine imposed by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on Sedibe as a result of a FIFA probe into South Africa's pre-2010 World Cup warm-up matches.

FIFA's Ethics Committee found Sedibe, who was the SAFA CEO at the time, guilty of infringing Article 13, 15 and 18 of general rules of conduct‚ loyalty and duty of disclosure‚ cooperation and reporting relating to match-fixing of international friendly matches played in South Africa in 2010.

FIFA also imposed a two-year ban on Steve Goddard and Adeel Carelse, who were both SAFA's heads of referees.

However, in an explosive press conference in Johannesburg on Monday afternoon, Sedibe pulled no punches, saying that SAFA officials were "cowards" who needed a scapegoat to hide their corruption scandals, including the $10 million "donation" to the so-called Diaspora Legacy Programme.

"These people are looking for a scapegoat, and they've found one in Sedibe. The FIFA ethics committee is nothing short of a kangaroo court and the truth about the $10 million 'donation' will come out soon," Sedibe said.

Sedibe made an explosive claim that SAFA lawyers had instructed him to "delete irretrievably all material related to the FIFA investigation".

He said that the FIFA probe remained incomplete and unreliable, adding that FIFA was never interested in the truth anyway.

He questioned why he was never granted access to information he needed to defend himself.

"I have never been given a fair chance to represent myself because they are refusing to give me access to the information that I need to prepare a response. These cowards, and I call SAFA and FIFA cowards because they are afraid of an independent tribunal," Sedibe said.

Sedibe's lawyer, Stephen Thomson, confirmed that Sedibe had given them instructions to challenge FIFA's ban in court, saying that they would be filing the papers in a few days' time.

Sedibe added that the National Prosecuting Authority had refused to prosecute him because of a lack of evidence. He said he had also sought assistance from the Public Protector and the national commissioner of the South African Police Service.

SAFA on Monday afternoon welcomed the sanctions imposed on all three former officials.

Chairman of SAFA's Ethics Committee Poobie Govindasamy was quoted saying it was a relief that the matter had been finalised.

In a statement, Govindasamy said: "The decision by the FIFA Ethics Committee is most welcomed by SAFA. As you know, this matter has been dragging on for many years. When this came to light in 2012, we reported the matter to FIFA immediately so that there would be an independent investigation in regard to the issues."

Meanwhile, Goddard echoed Sedibe's sentiments on Monday night during MetroFM's sports show with Robert Marawa, saying it was ludicrous of FIFA to find him guilty without getting his side of the story.

Goddard is thought to be one of the whistle-blowers who uncovered and reported the wide-ranging corruption, including alleged match-fixing by FIFA officials.

"FIFA essentially said if I wanted to challenge the ban, I'd have to go Zurich to see the Ethics Committee at my own expense. This is what happens when you are a whistle-blower," Goddard said. - ANA