Tuesday, February 8, 2011

South Africa FA ponders Bafana Bafana name change

South Africa fans
Bafana Bafana fans are likely to have a new nickname for the team 
The South African Football Association (SAFA) is considering changing the national team's Bafana Bafana nickname because of a legal tussle.The term Bafana Bafana was patented by a local businessman in 1994 which means SAFA cannot copyright it.
A three-man committee including SAFA vice president boss Danny Jordaan will investigate the possible change.
"We have agreed we need to look at the possibility of changing the name of the national team," SAFA boss Kirsten Nematandani said.
"A team has been created, headed by myself, Danny Jordaan and Alpha Mchunu (chairman of the referees committee), to engage in this process.
"We have been engaged in many legal battles on the issues of the rights over Bafana Bafana, and the association felt as a move forward that it was critical that this was looked into in the interests of the nation."
SAFA acknowledged concerns over the future of the name soon after last year's World Cup because of the copyright issue raised by the local businessman.
In 2002, South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed a SAFA motion that it had any rights over Bafana Bafana and the name, made famous at the World Cup, could now be dropped.

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