SAFA president Danny Jordaan has seemingly backtracked on a promise to reward Bafana Bafana with R7 million in prize money if they win the Africa Cup of Nations.
Jordaan was reported to have agreed on a bonus structure with the South Africa national team ahead of the upcoming AFCON, that kicks off in the Ivory Coast on January 13.
In a video on the SAFA platforms, Jordaan was quoted by FARPost to have said: “I am here to make sure that every box has been ticked. There is nothing outstanding and that everything is in place for them to focus on football.
“We have to get the team to focus, we have to clear everything. If they win, they get US$7 million [R130 million], if they lose they get nothing. We want the team to focus and perform. We have over a period of time settled this team and we don’t want to waste time discussing unnecessary stuff.”
But in a story in the Citizen on Tuesday, the SAFA head honcho has said: “I did not say a word.
“If you saw the photo, in the photo, players signed and that was it. That is what CAF has issued, if you go back to the CAF statement. They are very clear that this is the prize money. That was the decision by CAF and we were saying that this is what CAF is offering.
“I’ve also seen the (R7-million) headlines and they are not my headlines. If you ask me to confirm or deny them. Maybe it was misrepresented but there’s nothing to add because CAF has spoken.”
But he further confused the issue by adding: “SAFA has been paying the players from the beginning to the end and if they win, they get the bonus. That has been the case not just with SAFA but for every federation affiliated to Caf and also in the case of FIFA.”
The winner of AFCON will receive R7 million dollars from CAF.