South African FA president Danny Jordaan arrested over alleged misuse of funds

South African Football Association (SAFA) President, Danny Jordaan, was arrested on Wednesday amid allegations of misusing the organization’s funds for personal purposes, according to local media reports.

Jordaan, known for his instrumental role in bringing the 2010 FIFA World Cup to South Africa, attempted to prevent his arrest by filing an urgent application on Tuesday. However, the Johannesburg High Court will not hear the case until Thursday, leaving him vulnerable to the arrest that subsequently occurred.

The charges trace back to a raid on SAFA offices in March. At that time, police spokesperson Katlego Mogale stated that Jordaan was accused of using SAFA’s resources for personal gain between 2014 and 2018. Allegations include unauthorized use of a private security company for his protection and hiring a public relations firm without SAFA board approval.

Jordaan, 73, is set to appear in court alongside co-accused SAFA Chief Financial Officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling. Despite denying the allegations in an affidavit submitted to the court, Jordaan and SAFA have not responded to requests for comment from Reuters.