Head coach of the senior national team of South Africa Hugo Broos says the decision by world football governing body FIFA to deduct three points from his team for fielding an ineligible player was powered by Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
South Africa were deducted three points, three goals for fielding Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 win over Lesotho, who was supposed to be suspended for the game after picking up two bookings in previous games.
Broos explained that it was Nigeria who pushed the most to get their points deducted after it was flagged by the Nigerian media.
“Not Lesotho, not me and my staff, and not the player in question were aware of any wrongdoing. Neither was FIFA. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has met three times since then, and there was never a problem. Until two weeks before this crucial two-legged World Cup qualifier. It’s not normal, is it?
“No doubt due to pressure from Nigeria, which was in a losing position and now has a chance again. If this costs us the World Cup, it will be truly heartbreaking. Those yellow cards were from a year and a half earlier, but it will never happen to us again – 10 men have been keeping track of the yellow cards ever since,” he told Belgium newspaper.
