9 January 2019 – [1] In recent public announcements both on television and in the print media, the South African Futsal Federation (SAFF) claims to represent South Africa in the sport of Futsal.
[2] At the outset we place on record that these claims by SAFF are factually incorrect and misleading.
[3] By way of background it is important to point out that we the South African Indoor Football Association (SAIFA) incorporating the National Futsal League (NFL) is an associate member of SAFA since 2002 and is the authorised licensed structure to run and administer Futsal in our country.
[4] SAIFA, an associate member of SAFA is the body that is the custodian of Futsal in South Africa which is a style of football that is internationally recognized by FIFA, the controlling body of football in the World.
[5] FIFA in terms of its competitions provides for a FIFA Futsal World Cup every four years for all its member associations including South Africa.
[6] In accordance therewith, SAFA is the only structure in our country that is entitled to select national teams to represent our country in international football related competitions. In other words where Futsal is concerned, only SAFA is entitled to and permitted to send representative teams to futsal competitions both nationally and internationally including the FIFA Futsal World Cup which is held every four years by FIFA.
[7] In this regard SAFA has over the years, from at least 2000, selected a South African National Futsal team to participate in international Futsal events both on the African continent and the World at large. More recently, SAFA hosted the 2016 Africa Futsal Cup of Nations Tournament on behalf of CAF which is the continental body in control of football in Africa. This tournament in which South Africa participated as the representative of SAFA, entitled three of the top teams including the finalists, namely, Morocco , Egypt and Mozambique to qualify for the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Colombia.
[8] The purpose of this notice is to alert all SAFA members, officials and players that SAFF is a rebel structure and in accordance with Article 84 read with Article 85 of the SAFA statutes, SAFA members, officials and players, including our SAIFA members, officials and players, without exception shall not play matches or make any sporting contact with or under SAFF. In other words any member or person is strictly precluded from participating in any Futsal activities involving SAFF on the basis that this rebel body is not recognised by SAFA and SAIFA.
[9] We understand that SAFF has been hosting tournaments and other competitions throughout the Country with misleading statements that players will be eligible to represent South Africa in international competitions. This is a blatant lie, far from the truth and SAFF’S conduct is intended to mislead all SAFA members, officials and players including the public at large.
[10] We emphasise that all players and officials playing under the name of SAFF or having contact with SAFF are doing so at their own peril in that they are participating in the activities of a rebel structure. We hasten to point out that in these circumstances where SAFA members, players and officials including SAIFA members, players and officials are involved, they will face serious sanctions by SAFA and or SAIFA including suspensions, expulsions and banning.
[11] Finally, we hereby request SAFA to urgently address this confusion and misrepresentation created by SAFF regarding Futsal amongst our members, officials, players and the public with our national, provincial and local governments including SASCOC in order to ensure that SAFF is exposed and prevented from purporting to represent Futsal in South Africa when they are not recognized members of SAFA, CAF and FIFA.