Josephs banned for 6 months
2005-03-08 21:24
Natheer Marshall
Cape Town - If South Africa qualify for the third successive year to play in the Soccer World Cup, one of the brightest stars, goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs, probably will not travel with Bafana Bafana to Germany.
He will also miss the Africa Cup tournament in Egypt.
Josephs, goalkeeper of Ajax Cape Town, has been suspended for six months and fined R50 000 for using the banned substance, Salbutanol.
Ajax Cape Town have not decided yet whether they will appeal.
Moneeb and his team-mates return to South Africa on Wednesday after playing a Championships League match in Burkina Faso.
Josephs appeared before a Safa disciplinary hearing in February and said he had asthma and his medicinal pump contained Salbutanol.
He received a six-month suspended sentence and was fined R15 000.
However, world body Fifa instructed stricter action should be taken against Josephs and his case was referred back to Safa.
Safa's rules state that a club should annually present a certificate stating that the player is asthmatic and that his pump contains Salbutanol.
Josephs is in possession of such a certificate, but his club failed to provide a copy to the controlling body.
Ironically he played for Bafana Bafana with the same certificate.
- Die Burger