The 2022 Qatar World Cup could be rescheduled from summer to winter if medical evidence shows the intense Middle East heat would harm players, Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke said on Saturday.

Uefa president Michel Platini is a staunch opponent of playing the World Cup in the expected 40 degrees celsius heat of June or July and on Saturday he called again for the finals to be switched to the winter months.

Valcke stepped into the seemingly never-ending debate at a media briefing following the International Board meeting in the Scottish capital where he said staging the Cup during the winter was a possibility.

His remarks were significant because it was the first time Fifa has indicated it could instigate a change based on medical evidence.

“Qatar has to tell us ‘we want to move the World Cup from summer to winter’,” Valcke said.

“I can tell you there is no working group within Fifa thinking and working on what it means to move the World Cup from summer to winter for the time being.

“The international calendar has been agreed for 2015-2018, meaning that we kept open all potential for period 2019 to 2022. We have time.

“Fifa has never said ‘never’, we have just said ‘we are waiting for Qatar to officially ask Fifa to look at the potential to move the World Cup from summer to winter’ and that has not happened yet.

“Qatar is perfectly aware and 2014 is not the deadline it can be even in 2015.

“The most important thing is to make sure work with all stakeholders and make sure there is full agreement with all parties, leagues, clubs and we would have to find eight weeks in the mid-season to play the World Cup.”

Valcke said Fifa’s executive committee would make a unilateral decision only if there were strong medical evidence in favour of a change.

“The Fifa executive committee has the power to make decisions and if at the executive committee this issue starts to be a real point for discussion then why not, and then again maybe the committee will say based on medical reports, or whatever, we really have to look at playing the World Cup not in summer but in winter.

“I am not saying that the case is closed but what I’m saying is as long as we have not fixed the international calendar all alternatives are open.

“I think it would be good to have a final decision about when this World Cup will be played and have an agreement between all the football family but it’s in 2022, nine years and we have two World Cups to organise in Brazil and Russia so there is some time.”

CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb said earlier on Saturday he was opposed to changing the timing from summer to winter.

“Historically the World Cup is always played in June and July and I would definitely like the World Cup to be played in June, we accepted it. We went through a long process regarding that,” he said.

“We all knew the World Cup was going to be played in June and July and as far as I am concerned, that’s accepted.”

For more details go to http://www.supersport.com

Absa Premiership

Score: Chiefs 1-1 Wits

Date: 2 March 2013

Venue: FNB Stadium

Kaizer Chiefs failed to extend their advantage at the top of the Absa Premiership to five points as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Bidvest Wits at the FNB Stadium.

Ryan Chapman had the ball in the back of the net inside of ten minutes but Siphiwe Tshabalala equalised minutes before the half hour mark.

Having looked a little panicky in the opening minutes Eric Mathoho headed behind for a corner under very little pressure and Chiefs were punished for their lack of communication.

Matthew Pattison delivered a beautiful flat ball from and Chapman rose high and arrowed his header into the bottom corner.

The home side looked to hit back and had an opportunity in the 13th minute which Kingston Nkhata headed wide from Tshabalala cross.

Not long afterwards another Tshabalala cross was whipped in dangerously but a Wits defender just managed to divert it away from the oncoming attackers.

Tshabalala, man of the match last week against the Clever Boys, smashed a powerful effort straight down the middle from range which was parried away by the on-debut Mabokgwane.

The Chiefs left winger then scored the equaliser as he collected an excellent diagonal ball from Letsholonyane and scrambled it home amidst confusion in the box.

Amakhosi came under a little pressure after the half hour mark but Khune did well to keep out Papy Faty whilst Pattison’s dangerous cross was cleared.

There were chances at both ends towards the end of the half as Nkhata hit a first time shot into the side netting and Vilakazi forced a smart save from Khune.

The chances continued to rack up as Pattison almost caught out the Chiefs stopper with a wicked curling effort that almost crept in at the near post as Wits went into the break in the ascendency.

After the break Parker showed quick feet to wriggle past two defenders although the angle was two tight to squeeze the ball past the keeper.

Wits had their share of the opportunities too as Vilakazi’s 66th minute shot was plucked out of the air by Khune.

Vilakazi’s replacement Erwin Isaacs tested Khune with his first touch but the shot from range was nothing that the Bafana Bafana number one could not deal with.

In the 79th minute a powerful shot from Parker had the keeper flying across goal to push the ball around the post as the teams remained deadlocked.

Chiefs thought that the deadlock had been broken minutes later but Mashamaite’s header did not count as he climbed all over the defender before planting the ball in the net.

Substitute Mandla Masango though that he had found the crucial goal after Parker squeezed the ball to him in the box but his shot rolled just wide.  

In stoppage time Mabokgwane effectively ensured Wits came away with a point as he produced a number of good stops whilst Pattison shot at Khune after a swift counter in the final minutes.

Chiefs: Itumeleng Khune, Siboniso Gaxa, Morgan Gould, Eric Mathoho, Junaid Mashamaite, Tsepo Masilela (Keegan Ritchie 58’), Lucky Baloyi, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Kingston Nkhatha(Lehlohonolo Majoro 45’), Bernard Parker.

Wits: Jackson Mabokgwane, Thomas Sweswe, Sipho Mngomezulu, Matthew Pattison, Tinashe Nengomasha, Sibusiso Vilakazi (Erwin Isaacs 69’), Papy Faty, Ebrahim Seedat, Ryan Chapman, Sandile Sibande, Asive Langwe (Miquel Timm 85’).

Goals: Ryan Chapman (Wits 9’), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Chiefs 27’).

For more details go to http://www.soccerladuma.com

The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) has applauded government for scraping the willing buyer, willing seller approach to land redistribution.

This comes after President Jacob Zuma announced the government will drop the principle when he was delivering his State of the Nation Address in Cape Town last month.

 PAC President Letlapa Mphahlele says what is left is for government to ensure that land goes back to the rightful owners.

Mphahlele made his comments during the election of a new leadership of Apla Military veterans in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape.

The PAC says land restitution is one the major things that will make Africans enjoy their democracy. It added that the majority of the land should be in the hands of Africans not the white minority.

“We are happy that government will be abandoning that policy but we have a bigger problem as PAC that there is still a constitution that glorifies property rights. The people have rights to something they stole. A lot of land was got through the barrel of the gun and of course that is why we are convinced that every title deed has blood on it,” says Mphahlele.

Meanwhile, Apla Military Veterans say they are worried that there are still hundreds of political prisoners who are still in jail.

 “What hurts us is that the present government is not ensuring that people who were part of the struggle are released. These people were fighting against apartheid and racial classification but till today they are in jail. This makes one wonder what democracy they fought for really is,” says William Sibakelo, Apla Veteran.  

The PAC has called for the empowerment of veterans through education and training in various skills.

The Department of Military Veterans says empowerment programmes are in the pipeline.

“We are at a very advanced stage of finalising agreements with the higher education and training department to allow veterans and their dependents to have access to education in state institutions,” says Department of Military Veterans’ Tsepe Modupi.

For more details go to http://www.sabc.co.za

CAF Champions League

Date: 2 March 2013

Result: Djabal FC 0-4 Orlando Pirates (Agg 0-9)

Venue: Comoros National Stadium

Orlando Pirates recorded a 4-0 victory over Djabal FC in their CAF Champions League second leg match to claim a 9-0 aggregate win over the side from the Comoros.

After defeating the Comoros club 5-0 at the Orlando Stadium a fortnight ago, the Buccaneers suffered a dip in form having lost to Moroka Swallows in midweek and being dumped out of the Nedbank Cup by Maluti FET College.

However, the trip to Comoros proved easy for Roger De Sa’s men as Thulasizwe Mabuyane and Ndumiso Mabena both got early goals to put the Sea Robbers 2-0 up within eight minutes.

After the break the visitors continued to dominate the match and were rewarded just before the hour when Takesure Chinyama netted. With result already wrapped up, midfielder Onyekachi Okwonkwo added the icing on the cake when he scored a fourth just before the referee’s final whistle.

Goals: Thulasizwe Mbuyane 6, Ndumiso Mabena 8, Takesure Chinyama 54, Onyekachi Okwonkwo 90

For more details go to http://www.soccerladuma.com

The world football governing body, FIFA has taken issue with certain recent press reports in South Africa on how they interpreted contents of their letter to the South African Football Association (SAFA), dated 20 February 2012, that it said ignored the existence of the LOC governance structure that was, and still is, in place.

In a follow up correspondence to SAFA this week titled ‘2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee: Financial Matters’ , FIFA points out that their financial statements were not limited to a certain period but covered all years of operations including those ended 30 September 2011 and 2012.

In a letter written by FIFA Deputy Secretary General, Markus Kattner, it reads: “I refer to my letter to you of 20 February 2013 and your response of 21 February 2013 in respect of the financial governance processes of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (‘LOC’).

“We have noted that certain recent press articles in South Africa appear to narrowly interpret the contents of my letter to you of 20 February 2013 and ignore the existence of the LOC governance structure that was, and still is, in place. My comments with respect to the LOC financial statements having been subjected to audit and being approved by the AGM of the LOC, covers all years of operations including those ended 30 September 2011 and 2012.”

The FIFA correspondence further points out that the LOC governance structure was set up on the incorporation of the LOC in 2005.

“FIFA has been consulted on all matters concerning the remuneration of Executive and non-Executive directors of the LOC up to the current day under this structure,” read the letter adding that the world governing body had also been consulted in respect of all grants made to SAFA by the LOC up to the current day. “These matters have all been performed in compliance with the governance structures of the LOC.”

Thanking SAFA for delivering the highly successful 2010 World Cup, the FIFA letter concludes by reading: “Let us also not forget the significant financial contribution made to football development through the implementation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust.”

Johannesburg – Just one out of 217 cases of deaths allegedly at the hands of police in past year have resulted in a criminal conviction in Gauteng.

This is according to the police watchdog that is investigating the death of a Mozambican taxi driver who was dragged behind a police van on Tuesday.

The amateur footage of the incident has gone viral on the internet and caused widespread condemnation from government and civil society of the police’s actions.

A total of 932 cases of deaths in police custody and of police action were reported to the watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), across the country during the 2011/2012 period, and 217 of those came from Gauteng alone.

Between January 23 and February 27, four police officers were arrested, or appeared in court, for rape; two were arrested for murder, while four policemen went on trial for a murder in Diepsloot, and three policemen were sentenced for murder.

In the same period two tactical response team members were arrested for assaulting a fellow woman police officer and damaging her cellphone, while two KwaZulu-Natal warrant officers were arrested for corruption

Mido Macia was found dead in police cells on Tuesday night after being dragged about 400m behind a marked police van in Daveyton with his hands bound behind his head and tied to the vehicle.

Despite being dragged in a seated position, the post-mortem showed Macia died of head injuries and Ipid said it is investigating a case of murder and will perform another post-mortem.

Meanwhile, on Friday eight police officers involved in the Macia incident were arrested and charged with murder.

Spokesman for the ministry of police Zweli Mnisi said the ministry wanted swift action taken but not at the expense of a thorough investigation to root out the “dirty cops”.

“Sometimes you give them the blue uniform but sometimes they deserve the orange uniform,” said Mnisi.

In their annual report for the 2011/12 financial year, the Ipid outline the numbers of cases of “deaths in police custody and of police action”.

In Gauteng, they completed 164 out of 217 received complaints during the financial year, the second highest number after KZN.

For more details go to http://www.iol.co.za

Kaizer Chiefs Head Coach Stuart Baxter lamented the strange scenario faced by the two teams as Kaizer Chiefs will be hosting Bidvest Wits in the ABSA Premiership league fixture on Saturday, 2 March at the FNB Stadium. 

Baxter spoke to kaizerchiefs.com ahead of the much anticipated clash; It is a strange situation to face the same team back to back in a space of a week. It doesnt mean that the results of last week will be repeated or have an influence in tomorrows game no it is a totally different ball game and hence we are preparing accordingly. We are trying to create a coaching environment that can give us the results. Its all about group performance and on the day we hope to produce what we prepared at the training grounds depending on the dynamics of the game on the day. 

Amakhosi will be missing the services of George Lebese who joined Jimmy Tau (Started light training) and Jimmy Jambo on the injury list. Also missing for this encounter are the services of the hard tackling midfielder Willard Katsande who picked up a fourth yellow card against Wits last weekend at Mbombela Stadium in the Nedbank Cup. Baxter was optimistic under the circumstances; Since the beginning of the league we have faced challenges in terms of missing key players in different positions but we are continuing to rally ahead with whoever takes the field. 

The two teams met in the first round of the 2012/13 PSL Season in the league in September 2012 with Amakhosi emerging 3-1 conquerors with Bernard Parker scoring a brace and Lehlohonolo Majoro sealing the victory after Calvin Kadi pulled one goal back for the Students. 

The former Chiefs players, Thomas Sweswe and Tinashe Nengomashe, will share the battlefield with fellow Zimbabwean countrymen Kingston Nkhatha, Lincoln Zvasiya and Matthew Rusike, which should add some spice to the clash. 

The game is scheduled for 18:00 kick-off and tickets are selling at R40 for Adults and R10 for Scholars at Computicket and Shoprite/Checkers nationwide.