SOUTH AFRICAN SOCCER FEDERATION PRESIDENT – NORMAN MIDDLETON – SUPPORTS EFFORTS BY PIETERMARITZBURG BUSINESSMAN TO TRY TO GET PELE AND OTHER BRAZILIAN SOCCER STARS TO PLAY FOR SASF CLUBS

 

In May 1973 I wrote an article about a Pietermaritzburg businessman and show promoter, Mr George Cassimjee, travelling to Brazil to negotiate with that country’s soccer stars to come down to South Africa and play for clubs affiliated to the SA Soccer Federation.

Mr Cassimjee was accompanied by Mr Bobby Harrypersadh, a veteran Durban journalist who worked for the former Post Newspaper and the Drum magazine.

Mr Cassimjee and Mr Harrpersadh had given an undertaking that they would negotiate with players of the calibre of Pele and other stars to come down to South Africa to promote the non-racial federation.

The article was published on May 9 1973 under the headline: “Soccer quest in Brazil”.

After the introductory paragraphs, the story read:

Mr Yusuf Cassimjee, brother of Mr George Cassimjee, told the Daily News that his brother and Mr Harrypersadh had left for Brazil to make arrangements “for some big things”.

He would not reveal what the “big things” would be, but he said:

“A Brazilian soccer team will definitely be here, but I don’t know when.”

His brother and Mr Harrypersadh would return after a month.

                          WARNING

 

Mr Norman Middleton, president of the non-racial South African Soccer Federation, said yesterday that Mr George Cassimjee had consulted him before leaving for Brazil.

“We have given him our blessings but warned him that FIFA might not allow an outside team to visit South Africa, especially one from Brazil, in view of the fact that it recently withdrew permission granted to three of its affiliates from taking part in the South African Games.”

Mr Middleton said if Mr Cassimjee was successful, he would have “pulled off the scoop of the year”.

“We have advised him, however, to bring out individual stars, like Pele, to play for our clubs. FIFA cannot stop that.” Ends – Daily News Reporter May 9 1973

 

FOOTNOTE: The visit by Mr Cassimjee and Mr Harrypersadh did not bear any fruits because Pele and other soccer stars were not interested in visiting South Africa when the apartheid regime was still in power at that time. They informed the two visitors that they would only visit South Africa once Nelson Mandela and other political leaders were released from Robben Island and once a non-racial government was established in the country.