Orlando Pirates
Football Club press release
“Unfortunately
we are extremely concerned to have learned, recently, of instances of age
cheating at our Youth Development Programme. It appears to be of a magnitude
that calls for an immediate, and extensive, investigation.
Orlando
Pirates Football Club is suspending its Youth Development Programme in order to
ensure that its investigation into age fraud does not disrupt the schooling of
the youth in the Programme.
The
full scale investigation that the club is undertaking is as a result of the
preliminary investigation that has indentified occurrences of age cheating in
our Youth Programme. This is of grave concern to the club as this practice does
not only go against the Orlando Pirates Football Club value system, it is first
and foremost, an illegal act of criminality that goes against the law. It is
therefore incumbent upon the club to take immediate and drastic action.
This
process will start with a full scale investigation that will be far reaching as
it has to result in the total eradication of this problem and help us put
systems into place to avoid any recurrence.
To
this effect, parents have been advised to make arrangements for their children
to return to school nearer their homes under their complete supervision. The
parents have also been urged to help in the investigation through their participation
when duly requested.
To
ensure the investigation is thorough and unhindered, the club cannot at this
stage indicate when the investigation will be complete.”
