Lesotho wants FIFA to dock points from Bafana Bafana over the fielding of Teboho Mokoena, who was suspended, for their World Cup qualifier against South Africa.
Mokoena was fielded against Lesotho as South Africa won 2-0 last Friday but it later emerged that he should have sat out the match as he was suspended after receiving yellow cards in games against Benin and Zimbabwe.
However, with the 24-hour window of lodging a complaint to FIFA having ended before Lesotho learned of the administrative error from South Africa, they still want punishment meted on Bafana Bafana.
Lesotho have not lodged complaint
“What we are contending is, on our own volition, we cannot suspend a South African player but the organisers of the competition have a duty to protect the very same regulations and the sport most importantly,” Lesotho Football Association boss Mokhosi Mohapi told Newzroom Afrika.
“This is because some people or countries could choose to do the infraction knowing that there is no time to meet the match commissioner given teams are always flying around and immediately after the match, some depart and they can take advantage of that and when you get to the country where you have to play, there could be other logistical issues like getting into hotels and it could set an unwanted precedent in sport.”
Mohapi says even though an official complaint has not been lodged, FIFA should go ahead and punish South Africa as the country violated the rules anyway.
Why does Mohapi want Bafana punished?
“We are saying FIFA, live and die by your regulations and if there is precedence where you have deducted points before on matters that are very similar to the one that is a subject today, do so. So that then, we know your notion of fair play is applied irrespective of who is the perpetrator in this incident,” he added.
“If FIFA have deducted points and allocated them somewhere, they will have to do it now without looking at the technicalities. We are merely helping FIFA as a bonafide member in good standing that, live and die by your regulations and be seen to apply the notion of fair play consistently.”
South Africa are keeping their fingers crossed that the non-filing of a complaint at FIFA by Lesotho will get them off the hook and it remains to be seen if FIFA will act on the matter in the manner Mohapi has suggested.
