English Premiership
Pienaar faces arrest in UK
2012-04-24 10:00
Johannesburg - Steven Pienaar faces another likely driving ban in England after a warrant of arrest was issued for him on Monday.
Pienaar was caught doing 70km/h and 61km/h in a 48km/h zone in the space of 11 days last October while playing for Tottenham Hotspur, before beginning a loan spell with Everton in January.
Under UK law he was supposed to let authorities know who was the driver of the car on each occasion, but according to records in the Chelmsford Magistrates Court he failed to do so.
The judge found him guilty of this offence in his absence and has issued a warrant of arrest for him. It is likely he will face another driving ban, having already been stopped from driving for 12 months in March 2010 after he was found guilty of drunk-driving.
The off-field problems come at a time when Pienaar is playing some of the best football of his career.
His goal in the 4-4 draw between Everton and Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday was his third in 10 starts for The Toffees since his return on loan. He also netted in wins over Chelsea and Sunderland.
National coach Pitso Mosimane will now be hoping that any prospective future court date does not coincide with the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June, when Bafana Bafana will play Ethiopia at home and Botswana away.