With the Africa Cup of Nations just a few months away, there could be some implications for Bafana Bafana if there is no action taken by the South African government with regards to the amendments of the anti-doping code.
At the Rugby World Cup in France, the Springboks were in danger of having to use a neutral flag, and no national anthem, following the government's failure to comply with the new World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.
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At the time of playing against hosts France on Sunday, the government had not made amendments to the code, which came into effect in 2021.
The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) lodged an appeal to WADA, which has put the case "on hold". WADA has referred the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for consideration. Until a ruling is delivered, South Africa's sports teams will be able to fly the country's flag at all events.
"It does affect Bafana Bafana," a source said to the Siya crew. "If things do not get addressed, then it will be a problem for Bafana at AFCON. There could be an implication."
If nothing is done to amend the code, Bafana Bafana could be affected as well going into AFCON, and possibly the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, set to take place in November. This means Bafana would face the possibility of playing without a flag nor having the national anthem played in these competitions recognised by FIFA.
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It's understood that the South African government is currently working on the amendments to legislation and they will come into effect in May 2024.
For the clash against Ivory Coast tonight, there is no scrutiny because the agreement for this friendly game is between the two federations.
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