FC Platinum coach Pieter de Jongh was on Saturday barred
from entering South Africa enroute to Eswatini because he didn’t have a
Covid-19 testing certificate and a clearance letter from the South African
embassy in Harare.
The Dutchman, however, claimed he had the Covid-19
certificate after being tested at a Gweru private clinic on Thursday which
cleared him and said the only reason he couldn’t proceed to Eswatini was a
communication breakdown.
He also refuted claims that he intended meeting potential
new employers in Eswatini, saying he wanted to use his visit to Eswatini, which
he said was private, to arrange a training camp for his Pure Platinum Play side
as part of preparations for the next version of the Total Caf Champions League
campaign expected to kick-off in October.
Sources had told Chronicle Sport that the coach was already
in Eswatini, allegedly to meet up with his potential employers, believed to be
the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) after the coach last week posted a
message on Twitter and tagged the Chipolopolo page in an unusual move.
“The gentleman was turned back on the South African side of
the border because his papers didn’t add up. He did not have the Covid-19
certificate to show that he wasn’t a virus career and also a clearance from the
South African embassy for him to enter the country,” said a source from the
South African border.
De Jongh confirmed to Chronicle Sport that he was refused
entry into South Africa, but emphasised that it was all due to a communication
breakdown which was being sorted.
“I had all the papers except one. I was tested for
coronavirus in Gweru on Thursday and I don’t have the virus. I also have a
letter from my very professional employers FC Platinum, who knew where I was
going and another letter from the Eswatini football authorities, who by the way
remain very good friends of mine, having been their employee. There was just a
small communication breakdown that required me to have a letter from the South
African embassy so that I can pass through their country on my way to Eswatini,
a visit which by the way was more private than anything although I also wanted
to organise a camp for my club (FC Platinum) as part of our preparations for
the Caf Champions League,” said De Jongh.
“It’s not true that I was going to meet my so called
potential employers; I am very happy here at FC Platinum, it’s a professional
institution and my contract here is a long one. I have all the intentions of
fulfilling it. Once the proper papers are sorted, I will definitely make the
trip to Eswatini,” said De Jongh. Chronicle
0 comments:
Post a Comment