Expelled Black Leopards keeper Kazapua: ‘I wasn’t out drinking’

South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL)’s well-known goalkeeper has set the record straight following a disciplinary incident that happened while he was with the Namibia football team.

The Black Leopards FC’s custodian Loydt Kazapua has broken his silence following his expulsion from camp alongside striker Isaskar Gurirab.

The Brave Warriors coach Collin Benjamin cracked the whip on the two influential members of his squad, ahead of a World Cup qualifier against São Tomé and Príncipe on Tuesday.

The duo was released from camp in Francistown, Botswana, after sneaking out of the team’s hotel without permission last Friday night.

The two players left the team’s hotel a few hours after Namibia suffered a home 1-2 loss to Malawi at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown. It was the first defeat in seven Group H games for Namibia in the World Cup qualifiers.

Kazapua started from the bench as Benjamin featured Edward Maova between the sticks. Gurirab was an unused substitute.

In a reaction, the former Sekhukhune United keeper has released a statement to apologise for the incident.

“Firstly, I acknowledge that leaving the camp without prior clearance was not the appropriate course of action. I take full responsibility for this and accept the decision by the management team to release me,” he wrote.

“However, I must firmly clarify that the 𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐞. I have always lived an alcohol-free life by choice and by conviction and that has never changed.”

Reports from Namibia also indicate that Gurirab has released a similar incident while seeking to set the record straight. In the absence of the duo, Namibia revived their World Cup qualification campaign with a 3-0 victory over São Tomé and Príncipe.

⚽ Follow Pan-Africa Football across platforms for real-time news and stories.