MEDIA RELEASE SUSPENSION OF PLAYERS/ OFFICIALS/ DISTRICT

The following report arises from processes following allegations of violation of the National Federation’s rules and regulations relating to

  1. Hosting of unsanctioned tournaments by Johannesburg Volleyball Union (JVU), an affiliate of Gauteng Volleyball Union (GVU)
  2. Participation of players in unsanctioned competitions
  3. Participation of suspended Durban University of Technology (DUT) players in the Verulam and Districts Volleyball tournament
    VSA President Anthony Mokoena, tasked Legal Commission President, Siven Samuel to head the investigation into the matter and submit his findings to VSA MANCO.

JVU hosts unsanctioned tournament

Volleyball South Africa’s constitution clearly spells out the rules and regulations governing the sport , including rules pertaining to hosting of tournaments and obtaining the relevant sanctioning (approval) from the relevant body/ bodies. In addition the constitution states that players cannot participate in unsanctioned events.

On the weekend of 9-10 February 2019, Johannesburg Volleyball Union (JVU), an affiliate of Gauteng Volleyball Union(GVU), hosted an open tournament, to which they invited teams from the rest of Gauteng and KZN. The JVU tournament organisers needed permission (sanctioning) from Gauteng Volleyball Union a VSA provincial affiliate to invite teams from the rest of Gauteng.

The rules clearly state that only the provincial body can seek permission from Volleyball South Africa to invite teams from the rest of the country to participate in a provincially organised tournament, in this case only two (2) teams from outside the provincial borders are allowed to participate. Only the National Federation can invite a team from the African continent through the African body, CAVB.

Breach of VSA rules by JVU tournament organisers

The tournament hosted by JVU was in breach of all the rules governing the sport with regards to hosting of a tournament. A danger facing Volleyball South Africa now  is that it faces international sanction by the African Body governing the sport viz. Confederation of African Volleyball for the participation of a men’s team from Botswana in the JVU tournament without their permission. 

It must be understood that rules are in place to ensure that tournament organisers take care of safety and security of players, officials and spectators, their playing equipment and courts must not be a danger to the players and medical assistance must be present for the duration of the tournament.  Entities affiliated to a Provincial structure must operate within the demarcated areas under the auspices of the Provincial Federation governing that entity, moving outside their respective borders falls within the ambit of the National Federation.

The JVU tournament organisers showed total disregard of the rules governing the sport and VSA’s Code of Conduct when they allowed fictitious teams from Kwa Zulu Natal and Gauteng to participate in the event on 9-10 February 2019 in Johannesburg. When VSA became aware of this tournament a document was sent to all its affiliates w.r.t rules governing tournaments under the auspices of VSA. (see attached document from VSA).

JVU officials suspended by VSA

Consequently VSA MANCO took the decision to launch an investigation into the violation by JVU.

Subsequent to the investigation by Attorney Siven Samuel,  JVU officials, Jeremy Sunker and Comfort Munya were suspended for hosting an unsanctioned tournament and allowing fictitious teams from KZN and Gauteng and a team from Botswana to participate.

Of grave concern to VSA was the decision by JVU to invite an international team,  POLICE V1 from Botswana to participate in the event. This could have led to a diplomatic problem had there been injury or death involving these players. JVU officials Jeremy Sunker and Comfort Munya will be required to appear before a VSA Disciplinary Hearing.

Players participated under fictitious team names in JVU Tournament

  1. ‘Predators ‘(comprising players from DUT VC) (Men)

Players from DUT Men’s Volleyball Club, an affiliate of KwaZulu Natal Volleyball chose to participate in the unsanctioned tournament hosted by JVU (9-10 February) despite being informed about rules governing tournaments in writing from VSA to its provincial affiliates.

The following players played for fictitious teams in the JVU tournament in Johannesburg on 9-10 February 2019:

  1. Jasiel Frank  2. Shalin Harriparsad  3. Jonas Mothlobi  4. Reolan Ramdeen  5. Krisandran Naraynsamy  6. Brandon Govender  7.Quwin Naidoo  8. Sholen Govender  9. Pregan Gungarajh    10. Kirshen Govender  11. Jeremiah Naidoo  12. Lushail Govender
  • ‘KMA’  (comprising players from KZN and Gauteng) (Women)
  1. Limpopo Molife  2. Kandice Govender  3. Reyanka Kisten  4.Yasmin Rajak  5. Prinesha Pillay                      6. Chloe Kisten  7.Selina Naidoo  8.Keshnee Moodley  9. Sarah Shabalala  10. Geonasha Subramani  11. Tatiana Simopoulos

Ethekwini Volleyball conducts investigation

VSA sought the assistance of Ethekwini Volleyball to conduct an investigation as players from their folds had formed the fictitious teams to participate in the JVU tournament. Arising out of the findings from the investigation conducted by Ethekwini Volleyball, VSA suspended DUT VC and all the players mentioned earlier. Their suspensions were communicated to all the relevant parties.

Suspended DUT players participate as ‘Invincibles’ in the Verulam tournament

While under suspension DUT players  Sholen Govender; Quwin Naidoo; Kirshen Govender; Brandon Govender; Jonas Mothlobi;Krisandran Naraysamy; Lushail Govender participated as ‘Invincibles’ in a Verulam and Districts Volleyball Association tournament on 2 March 2019. This was clearly a flagrant disregard of

VSA rules. In addition Pregulan Maduray and Liam Chetty played in this team with suspended players and were accordingly suspended.

Verulam and Districts Volleyball Association were also suspended. At a subsequent meeting with the VSA Legal Commission President, Attorney Siven Samuel the Verulam officials made clear their position regarding the tournament they hosted and forwarded an unequivocal apology to VSA. Their suspension was lifted at a later stage.

Players plead guilty

The following players have pleaded guilty to participating in the unsanctioned JVU tournament:

1.         Reyanka Kisten  (UKZN) 2. Yasmin Rajak  3. Prinesha Pillay 4. Chloe Kisten 5. Selina Naidoo (DUT players) (all women)

 6.JasielFrank  7. ReolanRamdeen  8. PreganGungarajh  9. Jeremiah Naidoo (Men)

 All these players were given a wholly suspended fine of R1000 and all were required to write a letter of apology for the breach of VSA rules.

The following players from Gauteng who participated in a fictitious team in the JVU tournament will meet with VSA’s Investigative Team on Friday, 15 March 2019:

Limpopo Molife; Sarah Shabalala; Keshnee Moodley and Tatiana Simopoulos

The under mentioned players pleaded guilty for participating in the JVU tournament and thereafter playing in the Verulam and Districts Volleyball tournament while under suspension:

Quwin Naidoo; Lushail Govender; Brandon Govender; Jonas Mothlobi. Each player received a suspension of three (3) years wholly suspended for five (5) years on condition that they do not commit a breach of VSA rules during the suspension period.  In addition they were required to testify honestly in the  disciplinary hearing of those that remain suspended. They also apologised in writing for the breach of VSA rules.

The suspension of DUT was lifted as the investigation revealed that DUT was not informed of the players’ intention to play in the two tournaments that resulted in a breach of the rules governing the sport.

Macro bodies CAVB and FIVB await VSA’s report on the matter

Once all these matters have been finalised VSA is required to provide CAVB and FIVB with a comprehensive report.

Going forward it is imperative that players first check with their respective provincial structure before participating in an invitational tournament as they may fall foul of the rules. For the benefit of players and officials VSA’s Code of Conduct is available on VSA’s website.

Donovan Nair

Secretary General

Visit this page to view the official release document

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