The Chief Executive Officer of the South African Football Association (SAFA) Tebogo Motlanthe has described the Ghana Football Association’s statement as distasteful.
The GFA released a strong worded statement yesterday, November 18 in reply to SAFA’s protest filed to Fifa and subsequent press conference in regard to the disputed 2022 World Cup qualifier played last Sunday in Cape Coast.
SAFA CEO Tebogo Motlanthe said the association does not want to get entangled in a war of words with the GFA, adding its statement is full of inaccuracies.
Motlanthe clarified his outfit did not say they embarked on a nine-hour journey from Accra to Cape Coast for the game.
“The SAFA position has never been nine hours. The coach said it was three hours, plus two hours which we can’t blame Ghana for — it is their immigration rules,” he said on Thursday.
“But we are also saying let’s let the Fifa process take place, and we will respect the decision.
“We find the GFA’s statement unfortunate and distasteful because it is full of inaccuracies.
“We did not submit any complaint to the Ghana FA about our treatment in Ghana.”
Ghana beat South Africa 1-0 Sunday, November 14 at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium in a Group G decider of the African qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
It was an Andre Ayew penalty the Black Stars needed to leapfrog the Bafana Bafana and book a playoffs spot.
South Africa after the game accused the Senegalese match official of manipulating the game and giving a soft penalty.
They have since filed a complaint at Fifa calling for investigation into the game and also a replay.
The world football governing body has set November 23 to forward the case to a member of its Disciplinary Committee and gave the GFA November 20 to submit a response, if any.