No Becks deal

2003-05-25 12:00

London - The England Football Association says it did not strike a deal with Safa to ensure that David Beckham play in last week's friendly against Bafana Bafana in Durban.

A report in the Mail on Sunday said the FA had promised the South African Football Association Beckham would take part in the game which the South Africans were using to promote their bid to stage the 2010 World Cup.

"Such an England team had to include David Beckham and that was a stipulation in the deals," Danny Jordaan, bid chief executive, was quoted as saying.

England won the game 2-1 and Beckham left the field early in the second half with a broken bone in his wrist after falling in a challenge.

But reports said the fact that he played at all served to help the South African bid and that the two FA's had made an agreement.

Responding to the report, both Jordaan and the English FA rejected the suggestion that Beckham's appearance was part of a deal.

"It is internationally understood that the agreement or contract between two national associations covers issues involving the two national teams, the date of the match, the venue of the match, accommodation and travelling arrangements but never do we include a reference to an individual player," Jordaan told Sky Sports News.

"As we do with every match involving two national associations we have signed an agreement and the only reference, which is the norm, was that both sides should field their best players available at that time. There was no deal over David Beckham.

"I don't know they've got the information from," Jordaan said. "There is no agreement between us and Beckham, there was never payment directed to Beckham. It is unfair to both the player and both national associations to present a picture which does not exist.

"I am unhappy because it is very unfair to all of us."

Adrian Bevington, spokesperson for the English FA, also dismissed the report.

"The FA is extremely distressed by today's allegations," he said. "There has been no 'secret payment' for David Beckham's or any other player's appearance in South Africa.

- SAPA