Bafana Bafana’s failure to leave for the World Cup on Sunday as initially scheduled looks certain to throw coach Hugo Broos’s plans into jeopardy and possibly compromise their on-field competence as they seek to negotiate a tough group at the tournament.
The team are in SA because some of them still don’t have visas, due to what sources attribute to administrative inefficiencies that have beset the SA Football Association for years.
Bafana were scheduled to leave on a chartered flight on Sunday for their training camp in Pachuca, Mexico, with Broos hoping to use the high-altitude area to prepare the team for their opening match against the co-hosts next Thursday.
But instead of heading for the departures lounge at OR Tambo Airport, the team was stuck at their Joburg hotel as officials — including those from the department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) — scrambled to resolve the matter.
Sports minister Gayton McKenzie confirmed players had finally received their visas last night but some for officials, including assistant coach Helman Mkhalele, were still outstanding. “The charter will leave tomorrow (Monday),” McKenzie tweeted.
Safa, meanwhile, released a terse statement in which it conceded the team “experienced challenges regarding visas”.
“Safa is working around the clock to ensure that the team travels to Mexico City as soon as possible ahead of the opening match of the global tournament against the hosts, Mexico, at the Estadio Azteca on June 11,” Safa said, without elaborating as to why visas have still not been confirmed despite the team having known their group opponents since early December.
“We remain committed to ensuring that the team’s preparations for the tournament remain on track, and in the meantime, Bafana will continue to train in Johannesburg until departure,” Safa said.
But the delay could have huge ramifications for Broos’s plans to conquer SA’s opponents in group A — Mexico, Czechia and South Korea.
The Belgian had on numerous occasions said he preferred the team to settle early at the Pachuca base to adjust to the high altitude, which is critical for their opening match against Mexico.
Broos had made it clear the team needed to leave SA at least 10 days before the opening match, but that’s now looking unlikely. It is also unclear if the planned friendly against Jamaica will go ahead, and that could rob Bafana of crucial practice for the June 11 opener.
Dirco, meanwhile, has stepped in to try to resolve the matter, according to spokesperson Chrispin Phiri.
“It is a matter that we have engaged, but it’s an administrative issue between Safa and the US consulate, not a diplomatic one. We are trying to assist in having this resolved, and do believe it will be resolved.
“We can’t put a deadline for another government, but we know they are attending to it.”
Reports put the number of the travelling party who don’t yet have visas at about 20, but that would presumably not include Mamelodi Sundowns players, who should possess valid documents as they were at the Fifa Club World Cup in the US last year. — additional reporting by Michelle Banda
Sowetan
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