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Bafana play in Atteridgeville
19/03/2008 17:45 - (SA)
Johannesburg - An apparent ground shortage, not unlike the power shedding that is blighting the lives of South Africans, has resulted in Safa taking the unusual initiative to play Bafana Bafana's international friendly against Paraguay next week at the Super Stadium in Atteridgeville.
"We really had no alternative," explained Safa general manager Sipho Nkumane on Wednesday. "In the first instance, we had to settle for a Gauteng venue so that players from both teams could catch flights back to Europe immediately after the game to honour club commitments.
"And the more obvious venues like Ellis Park and Loftus were unavailable to us," added the Bafana general manager.
"Renovations are continuing at Ellis Park for next year's Confederation Cup and the 2010 World Cup," said Nkumane, "and replanting of the pitch at Loftus meant we could not play there either."
The Bafana general manager said an inspection of the pitch at the Johannesburg Stadium concluded it was not up to the necessary standard for an international fixture.
Couple of curious paradoxes
"And that left the Super Stadium as our only viable choice," added Nkumane," with the pitch there in pretty good condition - though work is still progressing on some of the other facilities."
Fair enough then, but there are a couple of curious paradoxes associated with the ground shedding.
For example, a club of the stature of Orlando Pirates has played all their recent home games at the Johannesburg Stadium. So must it be deduced that The Buccaneers were performing on a sub-standard pitch all the time?
Also, Safa have billeted Bafana games at the Germiston Stadium and Olen Park in Potchefstroom - surely no more acceptable venues than the Johannesburg Stadium in any way?
As for Ellis Park, the renovations did not stop the Lions playing against the Sharks in a Super 14 rugby fixture there last week-end.
So, as they say in the classics, makes you think, doesn't it?
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Rugby
