The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed that the group of young football players and coaches stranded in Spain is staying in a hotel and is safe
This comes after a Cape Town-based youth football academy failed to secure returning flights.
A group of 25 children aged between 13 and 18, along with three coaches, allegedly travelled to San Sebastián to compete in the Donosti Cup
CAPE TOWN ACADEMY BLAMES VISA APPOINTMENT SLOTS FOR DELAY
The academy sent the group to Spain on 6 July, with plans to return on 16 July. A week after the scheduled return to South Africa, the kids and coaches remain stuck in Spain without food and accommodation.
The academy responsible for the trip said in a statement that a delay in visas caused the chaos. It said that late visa appointment slots caused a struggle to book flights. The academy said rising prices have prevented them from booking flights for the entire group.
DIRCO CONFIRMED TEAMS ARE SAFE
Clayson Monyela, Deputy Director-General at DIRCO, said his team has been managing a flood of complaints since Friday, 18 July. Monyela confirmed that the team is currently staying in a hotel and is safe
“BT Academy has confirmed to us that they’re buying tickets to get everyone back. We’ll provide an update as soon as tickets are secured,” Monyela said.
How can sports academies improve their planning to prevent situations like this from happening in future?
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