THE SA Football Association plans to “throw the book” at Black Leopards owner David Thidiela.
An angry Safa CEO Dennis Mumble confirmed yesterday that he would be charging the Lidoda Duvha boss with bringing the game into disrepute.
Thidiela in a no-holds-barred radio interview on Monday lashed out at Safa about the standard of refereeing in Mzansi, especially in the National First Division where Leopards compete.
As the soccer mother body, Safa is in charge of referees in the Premier Soccer League and NFD. Mumble said such outbursts in public would not be tolerated, adding that Thidiela had gone a step too far and could face a lengthy ban from all soccer activities if found guilty.
“I’m talking to the Safa legal team to formulate charges against Thidiela, who will be summoned to appear before the Safa disciplinary committee on charges of bringing the game into disrepute. He wants to pick and choose which referees officiate his matches. That’s not going to happen. He said some nasty things about Safa.”
In the radio interview Thidiela said: “Safa has no structure when it comes to referees. And there is no-one who worries.
“When you write a letter of complaint to Safa you never get a response, not even to say they have received your letter or that they are doing something about it.
“You will write until you can’t any more.”
Thidiela’s rant refers to the appointment of a certain referee for Lidoda Duvha’s match against Royal Eagles in Limpopo at the weekend – after they had sent a letter of complaint to Safa via the PSL about the same match official’s handling of their home match against Mbombela United on 19 November.
Leopards beat Royal Eagles 2-1 and drew 2-2 with Mbombela.
He said on radio: “What happened in that match (against Mbombela) I’ve never seen before in my life.”
When contacted yesterday for comment on his pending DC hearing, Thidiela said: “I have no comment. I will respond when I get charged.”
