THE South African Football Players Union (Safpu) have slammed the newly launched African Super League and says that it is unworkable and ill-conceived.
On Wednesday, CAF president Patrice Motsepe, flanked by his FIFA counterpart Gianni Infantino, launched the much-talked about tournament that carries a total prize money of $100-million (R1.6-billion), with the winner set to rake in a sugar-coated $11-million (R163-million).
According to Motsepe, the tournament will commence in August 2023 and further details of the competition will be announced in a few months time, after full consultations with the clubs and national federations. The super league idea was gaining traction in Europe when football supporters collectively and vehemently rejected the competition.
The union says that they are duty bound to protect and defend the rights of football players in all aspects, including to promote a better understanding of the risky nature of ill-informed decisions.
“Professional football in South Africa and Africa could be at risk if the resolution to commence with the Super League is implemented and there may be no return from the wreckage that a Super League can become. CAF somehow believes, despite straightforward evidence of the impacts of a Super League, that Africa should “learn” from Europe and pursue the concept.
“There has been no engagement with affected Leagues and clubs other than perhaps in secret with the chosen few. If a few professional clubs in South Africa are invited to join an African Super League – with respect, the consequences for our League, and those who are excluded, are pretty obvious.
There is no evidence that an African Super League will benefit soccer in Africa unless benefitting the very few and while diluting the value of the professional leagues considered beneficial,” added Safpu in their statement.
The only way we can improve soccer on our continent and create and protect employment opportunities, is by improving professionalism, insisting on better governance and guaranteeing legal compliance. We need more professional clubs, more professional leagues, more professional players unions,” the union explained further.
Said Motsepe at the launch in Tanzania: “The Super League is about the development and the growth of African football. The African Super League is an exciting improvement in the continent in terms of objectives and what we are trying to achieve. Our aim is to make sure African club football is world class and competes with the best in the world.”
“Investors and sponsors have shown a huge enthusiasm to be part of this tournament because football unites people from different religions, ethnic groups and races in common pursuit of making African football to improve.
We have been engaging with various leagues and national federations and explaining how it will work and how it will contribute to their clubs financially and onto the field,” Motsepe added.
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