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There’s a need to protect players in alleged match-fixing: SAPFU

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There’s a need to protect players in the alleged match-fixing, bribery and corruption happening in the Glad Africa Championship. This is the view of South African Football Players Union (SAFPU) president Thulaganyo Gaoshubelwe.

He’s revealed that he’s been approached on more than one occasion by players who had confirmed to him that they were being approached to throw away matches in the favour of other clubs.

Just last month, the South African Football Association (SAFA) announced that they were taking matters related to these allegations to the police but there’s still no update on the way forward.


Whenever there are allegations around bribery and corruption in football, the most affected stakeholders are the match officials and the players but never the club officials. And Gaoshubelwe says this also needs to be addressed.

As the world’s football governing body, FIFA, gets ready to implement its regulations on the status and transfer of players next month, Gaoshubelwe has welcomed the new changes in global football.

With FIFA and the world players’ union (FIFPRO) have set up a global fund to protect player’s salaries.

Gaoshubelwe, who is also the executive member of FIFPRO Africa, says the FIFA Fund for Football Players (Fifa FFP) will provide financial support to players who have not been paid by their clubs.

Earlier this week, FIFA confirmed that they have set aside $16m (R237m) for the fund up to 2022, split into yearly allocations.

Another $5m (R74m) has also been allocated for players affected between July 2015 and June 2020. Gaoshubelwe says this also helps some of the players locally who haven’t been [aid by their clubs following the awards of the Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC).


Report by Velile Mnyandu

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