MPs put SAFA through wringer

PROMINENT Pietermaritzburg lawyer and sports administrator Poobalan ‘Poobie' Govindasamy has stepped into the fray to rescue the South African Football Association (Safa) as it faced relentless criticism from the parliamentary sports portfolio committee.

- HERMAN GIBBS

Govindasamy, SAFA's head of legal, was part of the national football delegation that endured a barrage of questions from fuming members on Wednesday.

Their concerns were about governance, operations, and overall performance in promoting the sport on both local and international stages.

However, a matter that had members seething with anger was the shocking yellow card bungle.

As a result, the increasingly popular national team, Bafana Bafana, found itself at the centre of controversy. A few months ago, star midfielder Teboho Mokoena, featured in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, despite being suspended due to accumulating yellow cards.