While Safa Cape Town is still preoccupied with compiling its report following the drama at the Third Division playoffs, the lid has been lifted on the alleged corruption and bribery that played out at the William Herbert Sports Complex on Sunday.
No Bones with Jones can reveal that West Coast Football Club’s owner and coach, Pere Ariweriyai, has confirmed that his team was approached before their last group match against Two for Joy to throw the game.”
“Yes, I must be honest and say that two guys approached me before our match against them and offered me R2000,” Ariweriyai told No Bones with Jones.
“I cannot say if they were from Two for Joy, but I was offered the money. I was so shocked. I know what they look like and should be able to recognize them when I see them.
“I subsequently went to the dressing room and informed my players about it. I told them that I would not stand for this and also stated that I could not tell them what to do. I reminded my players that should they accept (the money), it will haunt them for the rest of their careers.
“Even if they were to play in the PSL one day, people will always know about what they did while playing in the amateur ranks and it was something that would have followed them forever. I told them should they take any money it will be cursed. Thankfully they all agreed that they will play for the badge and their pride and this made me very proud. We were committed to honouring the fixture with pride,” the Nigerian-born Ariweriyai explained.
Two for Joy was vying with Diadora FC in Group H to progress as the winner to the knock stages with the former on top with a superior goal difference. As it turned out Two for Joy beat West Coast by 22-0 while Diadora recorded a 35-1 scoreline with the latter eventually going through.
According to Ariweriyai, a former Santos and AmaZulu player, they did everything in their power to put up a good showing against Two for Joy and ran out of gas as the playoffs took its toll on his young squad.
“We definitely did not throw the game. What people must understand is that I have a very young team with three under 16’s- and 18-year-olds. My keeper is 19 and my centre backs are in their early 20’s. These players were not used to playing such a lot of (intense) games. I must add that I was mad at Safa (CT) as they initially allowed me to submit my list of (14) foreign players, only to be told I can only register three. We are new in the league and do not know how it works.
“Also, I was thinking of our cup final coming up and I could not afford to lose more players. “One of the players’ parents called after the first game to ask if he could be excused as he has exams coming up. Others had injuries and could not proceed. I was left with a serious challenge as I also needed to look after the players as well as the team’s best interest.
“We are a young team that is only in existence for not even a full season, and I am proud of what we have achieved as I did not expect us to win the league in our first season,” Ariweriyai concluded.
Ariweriyai’s claim was supported by one of Rebels FC’s midfielders who chose to remain anonymous. Upon a question about money going through hands the player replied: “Nah, they just gave him R200 for drinks.
Meanwhile, Two for Joy’s coach Sandile Nongauza denied any such allegations about bribes being offered.
“To be honest that was not football,” Nongauza said. “Because in football we are trying to teach our children the right thing and to respect the other teams. It showed on Sunday that there was no respect for football in Cape Town with that situation that happened,” Nongauza added.
Electric City’s coach Mario van der Vent said his team also experienced a shortage of players which contributed to their humiliating loss of 1-35.
“It was our club’s presentation the night before (Saturday) and most of our players felt the effects of a heavy night and did not pitch,” Van der Vent stated.
“That was our biggest mistake as we didn’t factor in the playoffs,” said Van der Vent.
“I told the chairman, look let us just honour the fixture not to make our name look bad at the playoffs. It is as simple as that. “We tried our best in the first half. On top of that our players came off and we were already short but yeah,
“Diadora ran rings around us and that is my version. People who claim these things weren’t even there to witness but I can assure everyone we don’t operate like that.”
Meanwhile, Safa Cape Town’s president Bennett Bailey has confirmed that the playoffs will go ahead as planned with the knockout stages this coming weekend.
“There are eight groups and this happened in the one group, why must we penalize the others?” Bailey asked. “They have done nothing wrong. I’m not saying others have done something. There is doubt in this one and we cannot use this doubt to overshadow the rest. That happened and now we must take care of it, we must investigate and not just pronounce,” Bailey concluded.
