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Johannesburg - A third-tier football club has reportedly blamed crooked referees for their failure to earn promotion to the Premier Soccer League's First Division.
Bay Stars owner Tony Lovegrove told the Sowetan on Monday that players and coaches at the club had been "bombarded" with offers to throw matches during the 2011/12 Vodacom League season.
"The interpretation of the rules by officials is inconsistent and there is no auditing from senior officials at Safa [the SA Football Association]," Lovegrove told the newspaper.
"This ultimately translates into each ref having absolute power to dictate the outcome of games."
Boy Chetty, a member of Safa's protocol and security committee, told the Sowetan the claims were being investigated.
"I cannot comment on the specifics of the Bay Stars allegations, but our findings will be released in due course," Chetty was quoted as saying.
Bay Stars finished third in the 2011/12 Eastern Cape Vodocam League standings.
