JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 27: Orlando Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza during a media briefing on the death of Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain Senzo Meyiwa’s death on October 27, 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Meyiwa was shot and killed at Kelly Khumalo’s house on Sunday evening. (Photo by Gallo Images / Foto24 / Cornel van Heerden).
Pirates ‘open talks’ with two women’s teams to appease CAF
Orlando Pirates are reported to have informally engaged two Universities with women’s teams to try and appease CAF.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 27: Orlando Pirates chairman Dr Irvin Khoza during a media briefing on the death of Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain Senzo Meyiwa’s death on October 27, 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Meyiwa was shot and killed at Kelly Khumalo’s house on Sunday evening. (Photo by Gallo Images / Foto24 / Cornel van Heerden).
Orlando Pirates are reported to have informally engaged two Universities with women’s teams to try and appease the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
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The Buccaneers will be campaigning in the CAF Champions League next season but there are pre-requisites set out by CAF for them to participate.
CAF states that teams participating in its competitions for next season must operate a women’s team itself or have a written agreement with another entity that operates the team.
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And Pirates are believed to be eager to explore the latter given the limited time they have before the closing date of the submission later this month (June).
Now, according to SABC Sport, Pirates are in informal talks with the University of Johannesburg Ladies and Wits University to try and forge that agreement.
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The publication reports that with the UJ Ladies team, the talks could take a while Wits seem to be a viable option for them at this stage.
PIRATES IN ‘INFORMAL TALKS’ WITH TWO UNIVERSITIES OVER WOMEN’S TEAM
“SABC Sport understands that Orlando Pirates has been informally engaging Hollywoodbets Super League side UJ Ladies or Wits University in lieu of establishing their own women’s team from scratch.
“It is just a matter of time before Pirates confirms an agreement with one of these teams that would effectively have them comply with regulations and become eligible to play in next season’s CAF Champions League.”
“SABC Sport also understands there’s a long-standing relationship between Pirates and Wits’ football structures, with an existing partnership on development programmes already set up.
“The entities have links, with Pirates said to have paid for bursaries for some players, while also loaning players to the University across various divisions in the amateur ranks.
“But on the UJ side, the public broadcaster understands there hasn’t been an official approach yet, but when that does happen it will have to go through the higher echelons of the University, who have to make the final call.”
