Monthly Archives: June 2012

FIFA warns of painkiller abuse

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FIFA’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Jiri Dvorak has said that the ‘abuse’ of painkillers could put the careers and long-term health of footballers in jeopardy.

During the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, FIFA’s Medical Department asked team doctors to provide a list of medications which players were taking prior to each game. Previous surveys at international tournaments established that many players were using large numbers of painkilling and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

The results from South Africa 2010, published recently in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, show higher levels of use than ever before. Indeed, 39 per cent of all players took painkillers before every game.

Experts warn that painkilling medication can be particularly dangerous in professional sport. In high-intensity exercise like football, a player’s kidneys are continuously working hard, making them more vulnerable to damage from strong drugs.

2010 FIFA World Cup study

Prof Jiri Dvorak said: “Since 1998 we’ve collected data about the intake of medication for all players at every FIFA tournament, which roughly equates to 55 competitions from U-17 tournaments to senior club and national team competitions.

“The results are striking. Even at U-17 level, between 20-25 per cent of players are taking anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers and this increases to senior World Cup levels, which sees 30-35 per cent of usage. When we combine that with the usage of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, it equates to about half of the players.

“Some of the players are probably taking this medication without a prescription from the team doctors, they’re just taking them and then telling the doctor. Others are taking them under prescription from the doctors as they’re suffering some kind of pain or discomfort.

“But other players could also be using these painkillers in advance to reduce the pain caused by potential discomfort during a match. That could be dangerous. By masking symptoms through painkillers, you could be covering something which could be important in the long run.

Dangers of abusing painkillers (and supplements)

“First of all, we need to raise awareness with the physicians responsible for the teams in all member associations so they think twice before prescribing this type of medication.

“Every medication you take has potential side effects, such as the building of blood content, but it could also have a negative effect on the function of the liver and kidneys, particularly if a particular medication has been taken for a long time. Some of the medications can also irritate the gastro-intestinal tract which can lead to internal bleeding of different magnitudes.

FIFA.com

Banyana Olympic squad announced

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The SA Sports Confederation an Olympic Committee has announced the Banyana Banyana squad for the 2012 London Olympic Games. 

Sascoc has revealed the 112-member initial team for the tournament today; the final team will be announced on July 4.

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of four years of extremely hard work for everyone, both at Sascoc and in the broader South African sports fraternity,” Sascoc President Gideon Sam says.

“I’ve always said that the building of a team is like doing a jigsaw puzzle. So today we are putting just about the final pieces of that puzzle into place with only a few more additions likely after the final qualification cut-off.

“Make no bones about it, we could have done better if we had more funding but that’s always the case. The time for excuses is over and I believe that we have done the very best that we could have done under the circumstances. 

“There was the criticism over the clothing sponsor but we believe we’ve done our absolute best and when you see our stars turn out at the Olympics and Paralympics I think you’ll agree.”

A total of 16 sporting codes will be represented, ranging from archery to weightlifting, and it will be the first time that Banyana Banyana will be competing.

Banyana squad
Roxanne Barker, Zamandosi Cele, Amanda Dlamini, Judith Hlumbane, Refiloe Jane, Kylie-Ann Louw, Noko Matlou, Andisiwe Mgcoyi, Philadelphia Mndaweni, Portia Modise, Sanah Mollo, Robyn Moodaly, Marry Ntsweng, Nompumelelo Nyandeni, Amanda Sister, Leandra Smeda, Janine van Wyk, Nothando Vilakazi

Manager: Lydia Monyepao
Coach: Joseph Mkhonza, Matsobane Laka
Technical adviser: Ephraim Mashaba.

Mathoho’s path to Chiefs cleared

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Orlando Pirates have officially pulled out of the race to sign Erick Mathoho from Bloemfontein Celtic. 

Don’t miss: Celtic may be willing to sell Mathoho to Chiefs

This gives way to Kaizer Chiefs to snatch up the highly sought-after player.

“We are no longer interested in signing Mathoho and are currently looking at other players that we intend to bring to Pirates next season,” the official at Pirates tells KickOff.com.

“It looks like his agent has already taken him to Kaizer Chiefs.”

Mathoho has already indicated that he is done with Phunya Sele Sele and according to our sources both Celtic and Amakhosi are set to to meet soon to finalise the deal. 

The defender has reportedly already agreed personal terms with Chiefs and is waiting for the clubs to finalise his transfer fee before putting his signature on the dotted line.

Ernest Fakude

‘Drinking water won’t help weight loss’

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paris water lib

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London – Health advice to drink eight glasses of water a day is over the top and does not help with weight loss, says a leading nutritionist.

Fruit, vegetables and juices should have a major role in providing the fluids we need, he added.

Spero Tsindos, an academic and public health expert, also argued that the push to encourage people to drink more water was driven by vested interests.

Tsindos said sales of bottled water had risen in tandem with guidance from bodies such as the National Health Service telling individuals to drink large volumes.

He said the NHS had reinforced the notion that two litres or eight glasses of water a day was good for health “without any substantial evidence to support it”. If people drink two litres of water in a hurry to make up their daily allowance it will not hydrate the cells that need it – but simply dilute the urine, he pointed out.

Health and dietary authorities generally recommend two litres a day of fluid for optimal health, but “this has been misinterpreted to mean two litres of water specifically and it has driven a steady growth in the use of bottled water”.

Tsindos says in an editorial in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health: “Thirty years ago you didn’t see a plastic water bottle anywhere, now they appear as fashion accessories.

“As tokens of instant gratification and symbolism, the very bottle itself is seen as cool and hip.”

While water was now regarded as a slimming aid, tea and coffee were being wrongly shunned as potentially leading to dehydration. Tsindos, of the department of dietetics and human nutrition at La Trobe University, in Melbourne, added: “Drinking large amounts of water does not alone cause weight loss. A low-calorie diet is also required.

“Research has also revealed that water in food eaten has a greater benefit in weight reduction than avoiding foods altogether. We should be telling people that beverages like tea and coffee contribute to a person’s fluid needs and, despite their caffeine content, do not lead to dehydration.”

He said food, juices, fruit and vegetables also contribute to overall intake. “We need to maintain fluid balance and should drink water, but also consider fluid in unprocessed fruits and vegetables and juices.”

Independent dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton said individuals tend not to drink enough. She added: “Drinking water is useful for weight loss, as part of a strategy of eating less and being more active. Research shows a glass of water before meals reduces appetite.

“I agree that caffeine is wrongly thought to be dehydrating, people can drink up to eight cups of tea or four cups of coffee a day and be reassured that it’s healthy.”

A spokesman for British Bottled Water Producers said the World Health Organisation and the British Dietetic Association recommends the average 60kg (9.5stone) adult should drink 1.5 to 2 litres (3.5 pints) of fluid a day.

She said: ‘”t a time when many people are overweight and there is a tendency to drink too much alcohol, it cannot be disputed that water is the safest, simplest route to calorie-free, toxin-free, safe and healthy hydration.” – Daily Mail

Absa, Edcon in R10bn store card deal

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absa_may 6

Reuters

Absa, the South African unit of Britain’s Barclays Plc, will pay 10 billion rand ($1.18 billion) to buy the private label store card portfolio in South Africa of clothing and footwear retailer Edcon, the companies said on Wednesday.

The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2012.

“(The deal will) strengthen Absa Bank’s position in the unsecured retail credit sector, build a strategic relationship with one of South Africa’s leading retailers and allow Absa to make a greater range of financial services products available to existing and new customers,” the company said in a statement.

Edcon said the deal would boost credit sales, improve its balance sheet and allow the retailer to focus on and fund growth in its core business activities.

The Edcon store card business operates primarily in South Africa, with smaller operations in Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.

While Absa plans to also buy Edcon’s portfolios in the neighbouring countries, it is not a condition to the South African deal.

Under the deal, Absa will provide retail credit to Edcon customers, while Edcon will be responsible for all customer-facing activities.

Absa shares were up 0.73 percent at 152 rand by 09:25 SA time, outperforming a 0.08 percent rise in the JSE Top-40 index of blue chip companies. – Reuters


Afriforum ‘defender of white priviledge’

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iol news pic ronald lamola

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 The ANCYL has issued a statement calling AfriForum “the defender of white privilege”.

AfriForum and TAU SA are preparing to lay charges against ANC Youth League deputy president Ronald Lamola over comments he made about land reform, the groups said on Wednesday.

“AfriForum intends to lay charges against Lamola at both the Equality Court and the police in order to ensure that inciting statements of this nature are called to order,” the organisation’s legal representative Willie Spies said in a statement.

He said Lamola’s comments amounted to hate speech and fell within the definitions of incitement to violence.

On Tuesday, Lamola said the Constitution must be changed to allow the expropriation of land without compensation.

He warned that if white South Africans did not hand land over to poor blacks, there could be land invasions like those that took place in Zimbabwe.

The Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU SA) said it was “disgusted” by Lamola’s comments and would file a complaint to the SA Human Rights Commission.

“TAU SA has instructed its legal team to start with the strongest possible measures against Lamola, the ANC Youth League, the ANC and its president.”

Spies said Lamola specifically referred to “the van Tonders and the van der Merwes on farms” and warned that their safety could not be guaranteed.

ANC Youth League spokeswoman Magdalene Moonsamy said the groups needed to be “ready for the fight of their lives”.

“We welcome this battle, and we will not retreat. We are adamant that this issue of land cannot be negotiated, and at no point will we back down,” she said.

“It is fine if certain structures in Afrikaner society want to lay complaints – we will find and meet them wherever they do so.”

“We reaffirm the statement made by (Lamola) that those who continue to hold land which was illegally and immorally taken away from the indigenous people of South Africa must voluntarily co-operate with the ANC-led government (to) ensure swift and equitable redistribution of such land to the masses of our people.”

The league again warned it might not be able to stem the impatience of the millions of landless South Africans.

“Such a precautionary note raising the hopeless plight of our people, blacks in general and Africans in particular, can only be construed as an incitement to violence…by those hell-bent to protect white minority privilege at the expense of the black majority.”

The league said if it was to achieve economic freedom there needed to be “urgent, unapologetic and radical land redistribution”. – Sapa


Pitso threatens to sue Safa

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iol spt june6 Pitso3

By SAPA

Former Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane is threatening a lawsuit against the SA Football Association (Safa) for unfair and unlawful dismissal, according ot his lawyers.

In a letter addressed to Safa chief executive Robin Petersen from Mosimane’s new lawyers (his first withdrew earlier in the week due to “conflict of interest”) his legal team requested a meeting with the association to finalise compensation within 30 days.

“We advise that we act for Mr Pitso Mosimane, the former coach of the national soccer team of South Africa,” his lawyers, Cowan-Harper Attorneys, said in the letter.

“On the instruction of our client we have attempted to contact you during the morning of Wednesday, 6 June 2012.

“The employment of our client has been unfairly and unlawfully terminated by Safa and accordingly our client is entitled to refer a dispute to the CCMA.

“It may however be possible for the parties to resolve their differences and accordingly we wish to arrange a meeting in order to discuss the matter.”

Mosimane was fired on Monday night, two years into a four-year contract, following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Ethiopia in Rustenburg in their opening 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifying match.

It was the national team’s seventh consecutive game without a win.

During his two years in charge, Bafana also failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after team management, led by Mosimane, bungled the rules.

Interim coach Steve Komphela took over on Tuesday ahead of their second World Cup qualifier against Botswana in Gaborone on Saturday and a friendly international against Gabon next week.

“As the 30-day period in terms of the Labour Relations Act which applies for the referring of the dispute is now running, it will be necessary for the meeting to be arranged as soon as possible,” Mosimane’s lawyers said in the letter to Petersen.

If they did not hear from Petersen, they said Mosimane would refer the dispute to the CCMA.

“We trust that the matter can be resolved on an amicable basis,” the letter read.

Petersen, however, poured cold water on the threat made by Mosimane and his attorneys.

“I don’t think it will get that far, but if that is the road they want to take, then it’s fine,” Petersen said.

“As the release said, we agreed amicably on the coach leaving and had telephonic conversations with different lawyers.

“The amounts of the agreement were discussed, but not resolved.

“It is part of life and the labour laws we live in, and unfortunate that we’ll have to argue in public about it.” – Sapa

TAUNG MOB JUSTICE OPERATION

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BY Obakeng Maje

TAUNG- Taung police have registered a case of kidnapping on 1 June 2012, following a number of incidences where the community members have resorted to taking law into their own hand.

According to the information received, a group of people abducted a man outside the Taung Magistrate’s Court.

They accused him of various stolen property.  It is alleged that the suspects drove away with a van to an unknown destination where the victim was kept against his will.

When a relative of the kidnapped man reported this incident to the police, it could not be established immediately as to where he was taken.

 

“On the 4 June 2012, the police received information about the house where he was kept and they rescued the victim.

When the police raided the house they found two assaulted victims, the community group that kept them there handed to the police a number of stolen properties seized during their own investigation” Sergant Philani Nkwalase said.

  The man abducted in front of the court was positively linked to the stolen goods, while the other man could not be linked to any of the stolen property handed in to the police. 

It is further alleged that the community group have been carrying “operation hlasela”, where they abduct and assault suspects to confess to suspected criminal offences.

The police strongly condemn this unlawful practise, should any community member be identified as one of the people who adduct and assault the suspects they will be charged and arrested. The two victims were then taken to the police station, one was charged for theft and the other one kept for his own safety and late released to a different place. 

No community arrests have been made at this stage as investigation continues and the police are determined to make arrest also on charges of assault and kidnapping.            

 

 

 

Factionalism rocks North West ANC

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Mmanaledi Mataboge

The ANC in the North West is dragging its provincial secretary, Kabelo Mataboge, and nine other party members before the party’s national disciplinary committee (NDC). 

They include two provincial executive committee (PEC) members and five MECs who attended Sunday’s provincial general council (PGC), which was not sanctioned by the provincial leadership.

The ANC’s provincial working committee (PWC), which met yesterday, resolved to write a report to ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe in which the 10 names of people who should be censored are mentioned. 

They are accused of anarchy and seeking to destabilise the party by convening an unconstitutional PGC.

The Sunday gathering, addressed by Mataboge, among others, called for the removal of provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo, deputy provincial secretary Gordon Kegakilwe, provincial treasurer Philly Mapulane and spokesperson Kenny Morolong. 

Another PEC member, Matthew Wolmarans, a former Rustenburg mayor who is also Mahumapelo’s ally, was also added to the list of those who should be toppled.

Monday’s PEC meeting, which described the Sunday gathering as an “unconstitutional meeting” convened by “unknown elements”, said the gathering was an attempt by some ANC leaders to destabilise the party “by undermining the PEC and the ANC constitution”.

MECs for human settlements, public safety and liaison Nono Maloyi (a former provincial chairperson who was also speaker of the legislature); agriculture and rural development Desbo Mohono (who is also a PEC member); economic development Motlalepule Rosho; Raymond Elisha of Public Works, Roads and Transport; and finance MEC Paul Sebegoe are set to be disciplined. 

Another PEC member who’s on the list for disciplinary measures is Mmoloki Pheelwane.

ANC provincial spokesperson Kenny Morolong said the Sunday meeting was an effort to carry out “disruption of proper functioning of the ANC structures through anarchy and intimidation”.

For their part, those who attended the meeting said they represented branches that simply wanted to defend their “rights and authority, which have been eroded and undermined by the provincial leadership”. 

Groups consisting of young people have for a few months now accused Mahumapelo of disbanding legitimate branches and reconstituting them with those who support him. 

The majority of delegates at the Sunday meeting were young people.

An ANC provincial source close to Mataboge said the provincial secretary was merely responding to a request of the branches when he agreed to give a go-ahead to the PGC. 

Three PEC members have, however, told City Press that Mataboge did not discuss any plans or a request for a special PGC with his provincial leadership counterparts. 

The North West ANC is suffering from severe factional battles that have been inherited from one provincial leadership to the next, but the latest rifts are also fuelled by the ANC’s internal battle for either a new leadership in Mangaung in December or retaining Jacob Zuma as president. 

While Mataboge, an ANC Youth League graduate, is a known supporter of the league’s drive to replace Zuma with his deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe, Mahumapelo is said to be backing Zuma’s re-election.

Mahumapelo and Mataboge have, however, been at each other’s throats since last year, almost immediately after they were elected at a Rustenburg provincial congress. 

Both are a product of merged slates because none of their leadership wish lists commanded enough of a majority to win the congress. 

Those close to Mataboge said he has always been unhappy with attempts by Mahumapelo (himself a former provincial secretary) to impose his wishes and that of his faction on the office of the secretary.

Mataboge is yet to attend any meeting of ANC structures, including the PEC meeting that took place on Monday and Tuesday’s PWC meeting.

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Mdluli interdicted from duty

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BY Charl du Plessis

Controversial former crime boss Richard Mdluli has been interdicted by the North Gauteng High Court from performing any duties as a police officer.

The order also prevents Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and acting police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi from assigning him any functions.

Judge Ephraim Makgoba ruled that the fact Mdluli is currently under suspension had no effect on what rights group Freedom Under Law was asking for.

“On what basis should (Freedom Under Law) believe or trust that this time around, the present suspension will not also be lifted,” said Makgoba.

He ruled that it woukd be “unconscionable” for Mdluli to continue with his duties while he faces such serious allegations.

Lawyers for Mdluli and Mkhwanazi yesterday argued that the application by FUL for an urgent interdict was “academic” because Mdluli had already been suspended.

But Makgoba dismissed this argument, saying it “missed the point”.

“Freedom Under Law does not seek an order for suspension, instead it seeks an order to prevent (Mdluli) from working, with view to protecting the integrity of the investigations into him,” said Makgoba.

Makgoba said that the allegations against Mdluli were no ordinary “allegations of misconduct” and it was of considerable public interest that the matter be resolved.

“Murder, defeating the ends of justice, fraud and money laundering are serious criminal acts which go to the fabric of public order and security” he said.

Makgoba said that the factual allegations made against Mdluli by FUL “have not been specifically dealt with or denied” by the respondents.

The next part of FUL’s case will involve an applicationf for a review of four decisions made by authorities, including the dropping of murder and corruption charges against Mdluli, his reinstatement and the decision to stop the disciplinary hearing aginst him.

– City Press