South Africa coach Hugo Broos blames Nigeria for FIFA sanctions ahead of World Cup qualifier

South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has voiced frustration over FIFA’s disciplinary decision that affected his team’s World Cup qualification hopes claiming that pressure from Nigeria may have influenced the timing of the ruling.

Speaking to Belgian Dutch-language newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Broos said neither Lesotho, his staff, nor the player involved were aware of any wrongdoing related to the disciplinary case.

“Not Lesotho, not me and my staff, and not the player in question were aware of any wrongdoing. Neither was FIFA,” Broos told the paper.

He added, “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has met three times since then, and there was never a problem — until two weeks before this crucial two-legged World Cup qualifier. It's not normal, is it? No doubt due to pressure from Nigeria, which was in a losing position and now has a chance again.”

The Belgian tactician added that if the situation costs Bafana Bafana a World Cup spot, “it will be truly heartbreaking.

“Those yellow cards were from a year and a half earlier, but it will never happen to us again, 10 men have been keeping track of the yellow cards ever since,” he said.

South Africa will battle Zimbabwe later today in the World Cup qualifiers.