JOHANNESBURG, March 9 (Reuters) – South African
premier league club Platinum Stars have suspended coach Owen da
Gama while they investigate allegations he demanded payments
from players to pick them for the team, a statement said on
Friday.
The club ordered an independent inquiry and asked Da Gama to
stand aside while the investigation is conducted.
“Platinum Stars would like to announce that following
troubling allegations in the media surrounding the head coach,
Owen da Gama, the club felt that it has become necessary to
conduct a formal investigation into the matter,” the statement
said.
“An independent team will be appointed to look into the
issues and will call upon witnesses, including Da Gama himself,
to provide information that will assist in making
recommendations to the board.”
Last month unidentified players alleged in a tabloid that
they had to “pay to play” but Da Gama denied the accusations.
The club said he had taken legal action against
Johannesburg’s Sunday World newspaper.
The struggling club are owned by the Bafokeng tribe and
based in Rustenburg. They are headquartered at the same complex
where England stayed during the 2010 World Cup.
Da Gama is in his second spell as coach of the club. He won
the League Cup with Stars in 2006.
South African-born Da Gama played at Derry City in the
League of Ireland and at Germinal Beerschot in Belgium during
his playing days.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Mark
Meadows)
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