Comitis tears City of Cape Town to shreds

Cape Town - Cape Town City chairperson John Comitis says the City of Cape Town are a disgrace for forcing the club to use Athlone Stadium instead of Cape Town Stadium.

City had to take last weekend's Premiership match against Stellenbosch to Athlone after it transpired that the CT Stadium pitch had not been prepared.

As such, Comitis came out firing and alleged that other sports such as rugby and monster trucks get preferential treatment.

He told KickOff: "To me it's all a lot of nonsense. They know for the last four years the league starts in the first week of August.

"There is no excuse. It's absolutely diabolical how they treat us. If this was any other sport, if it was rugby, if it was the monster thing, everything would have been ready. They would have done whatever they had to do, and likewise they should have done whatever they needed to do.

"But they take us for granted, they think it doesn't matter football can just move to Athlone, they have no understanding, zero, zip. They don't understand the damage that is done to our brand. We are spending millions in building this brand, only for them in one clean sweep to disappoint everyone, make everything look like it doesn't matter.

"How can you say that to my fans? I've got 10 000 fans coming to this Stadium, I'm going to have 2 000 at the other one. Have a look at the tweets. Nobody wants to go to Athlone. People don't want to come anymore, it's a disaster. It's not a joke, it's a disaster this, and it's enough man, it's enough. This Cape Town is enough.

"I'm not surprised Chippa left the city. I'm not surprised, especially with the kind of funding that they receive from the other city (Port Elizabeth). I'm not surprised.

"I'm going to have to review the future of this club in this city. Can't continue like this. I have asked them to let me build my own stadium, I'm prepared to put my own money, I don't need any help from anybody. And I'm sitting in this situation. It's a disgrace. It's an absolute disgrace. The more things change in this country it's the more nothing changes when it comes to football, especially in this province.

"They (the municipality) have handed the stadium to a company to run under management, but at the end of the day who is responsible for appointing them? You can't tell the sevens rugby five days before the event, 'Sorry can you move your game to Athlone'... they will sue the city for millions.

"They have no understanding and they don't want to understand what it means to be a football fan in this country, what is the implication. It's not just about a R40 or R60 ticket. It's the transport, it's the time, it's getting off work... so many things have to happen for you to attend the game. It's a big, big challenge and to have the fans is a privilege."