I being a true soccer fan I always watch the Monday soccer show on SABC1. I was concerned when Mandla Masango was invited to studio instead of the captain, my conclusion was that maybe the captain couldn’t make it or Walter Mokoena has undertaken to promote and market the boy. We all know why.
Anyway, Skillful Mandla was asked why he missed the 2003 youth championships and he said that he was busy with his matric exams then. I nearly fell from the couch with shock. If this player was born 18 July 1989 and he was doing his matric in 2003 this means he did his matric when he was only 14 years old! This also means that he started school when was only a toddler (2 years old).
I personally do not have anything against this skillful and disciplined player but age fixing should not be allowed to creep into our soccer. There are dozens of players in our professional league who are using fraudulent ages, I can mention names but the list would be endless.
How are we supposed to progress as a nation if we take first year varsity students to play in under 12 tournaments. It is high time that the PSL and SAFA ensures that age fixing is curbed especially in junior leagues and tournaments as this is where players’ ages are fraudulently registered. Who knows maybe the Bafana Bafana players are all over aged hence they tier. If we do not stop this development will remain a board room concepts that will not be practical. You certainly cannot teach an old dog new tricks.
by: Selema Tsela
