Kaizer Chiefs left-back Tsepo Masilela may claim he has not retired from international football, but it seems his Bafana Bafana obituary has been written.
Masilela had not reported to the Bafana camp yesterday to be assessed by the national team's medical team, ahead of Saturday's 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mauritania in Nouakchott.
According to Bafana doctor Thulani Ngwenya, Chiefs say they conducted a scan on Monday but they are yet to send a report to Safa nor have they sent the player to get checked up to confirm if he is indeed injured.
This is the second time Masilela is supposedly injured after getting a call up from coach Shakes Mashaba, who has often been criticised for leaving the player out of the squad despite his good form for Amakhosi.
Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung confirmed yesterday that Masilela was not in the country, adding that they will issue an official statement in the near future. Clubs are obliged to release players to be assessed by the national team's medical staff when they are injured. "Our medical team is working on it. He is not in the country and they [Safa] will get a report. The club will issue an official statement," said Motaung.
Masilela, a player the coach said he would not replace, is believed to be in the US. It seems he made plans to travel abroad long before Mashaba announced his squad two weeks ago. Yesterday, Safa confirmed they were looking into the reasons for the player's no-show.
"We are aware of the seriousness of the matter at hand, and we will give it the utmost attention it deserves," said Safa CEO Dennis Mumble, in a statement. "But it is vital that for now we focus and give support to the team that will play Mauritania on Saturday." In Article 5 of it's rules, world football governing body, Fifa, allows the association to restrict the player from taking part in any football activity for five days due to failure to report for national duty.
Midfielder Thulani Serero, meanwhile, was assessed by the medical team and has been given the all-clear for the match. The Ajax Amsterdam player trained with the squad yesterday without any problem. "He had an ankle injury. The team sent us a report saying he was recovering and he had only been training with the team for a week," Ngwenya said.
Masilela may face Safa DC
Kaizer Chiefs left-back Tsepo Masilela may claim he has not retired from international football, but it seems his Bafana Bafana obituary has been written.
Masilela had not reported to the Bafana camp yesterday to be assessed by the national team's medical team, ahead of Saturday's 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mauritania in Nouakchott.
According to Bafana doctor Thulani Ngwenya, Chiefs say they conducted a scan on Monday but they are yet to send a report to Safa nor have they sent the player to get checked up to confirm if he is indeed injured.
This is the second time Masilela is supposedly injured after getting a call up from coach Shakes Mashaba, who has often been criticised for leaving the player out of the squad despite his good form for Amakhosi.
Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung confirmed yesterday that Masilela was not in the country, adding that they will issue an official statement in the near future. Clubs are obliged to release players to be assessed by the national team's medical staff when they are injured. "Our medical team is working on it. He is not in the country and they [Safa] will get a report. The club will issue an official statement," said Motaung.
Masilela, a player the coach said he would not replace, is believed to be in the US. It seems he made plans to travel abroad long before Mashaba announced his squad two weeks ago. Yesterday, Safa confirmed they were looking into the reasons for the player's no-show.
"We are aware of the seriousness of the matter at hand, and we will give it the utmost attention it deserves," said Safa CEO Dennis Mumble, in a statement. "But it is vital that for now we focus and give support to the team that will play Mauritania on Saturday." In Article 5 of it's rules, world football governing body, Fifa, allows the association to restrict the player from taking part in any football activity for five days due to failure to report for national duty.
Midfielder Thulani Serero, meanwhile, was assessed by the medical team and has been given the all-clear for the match. The Ajax Amsterdam player trained with the squad yesterday without any problem. "He had an ankle injury. The team sent us a report saying he was recovering and he had only been training with the team for a week," Ngwenya said.
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