South African Olympic squad head coach David Notoane has announced a squad of 78 provisional players to take part in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games to be held from 24 July-9 August 2020.
The squad, already sent to SASCOC, is made up of 62 local players and 16 who are playing abroad.
For the preliminary group, Notoane has selected 8 goalkeepers, 27 defenders, 24 midfielders and 19 strikers.
Notoane can select up to three overage players in his final squad of 22: 18 registered players and 4 on standby, who will also travel with the group.
The final list should be with FIFA, who are running football at the Olympics, on 1 July 2020.
“We have a lot of hard work ahead of us to ensure that we take only the best to represent South Africa at this big stage. This is just a preliminary group of players that we think will be considered for the tournament, and as you can see it includes youngsters and seniors,” said Notoane.
“The next few weeks will be very crucial as we will be running the rule over the players we believe will be best suited for this competition – it is a lovely headache to have because all the players on the list are good quality but unfortunately we can’t take all of them. We are confident that the group we will choose will do the business for the country, but for now we are monitoring all of them to see if they can make the final squad.”
The selected players in the provisional squad include the likes of Bafana Bafana goalkeepers Ronwen Williams, Ricardo Goss and Darren Keet; defenders, captain Thulani Hlatshwayo, Innocent Maela, Mosa Lebusa, Motjeka Madisha; midfielders Thembinkosi Lorch, Vincent Pule, Themba Zwane, Bongani Zungu and Aubrey Modiba, as well as forwards Percy Tau, Lebo Mothiba and Gift Motupa.
Youngsters also getting a look in include U20 internationals Rowan Hendricks and Oswin Appolis.
This will be South Africa’s third appearance at the Olympic Games – they were there in 2000 in Sydney, Australia under Shakes Mashaba, and in Rio, Brazil in 2016 with Owen Da Gama.
South Africa will be joined by Egypt and Ivory Coast as the three representatives of the African continent.
The draw for the Olympics will be held in Japan in April.
SA 2020 OLYMPICS PROVISIONAL SQUAD LIST
| No. | PLAYER’S NAME | CLUB |
| GOALKEEPERS: | ||
| 1. | Mondli MPOTO | Bloemfontein Celtic (SA) |
| 2. | Darren JOHNSON | Ajax Cape Town (SA) |
| 3. | Andile MBANJWA | Richards Bay (SA) |
| 4. | Sifiso MLUNGWANA | Golden Arrows (SA) |
| 5. | Ronwen WILLIAMS | SuperSport United (SA) |
| 6. | Ricardo GOSS | Bidvest Wits (SA) |
| 7. | Jody FEBRUARY | Cape Umoya United (SA) |
| 8. | Darren KEET | OH Leuven (BELGIUM) |
| DEFENDERS: | ||
| 9. | Keanu Gregory CUPIDO | Cape Town City (SA) |
| 10. | Siyabonga NGEZANA | Kaizer Chiefs (SA) |
| 11. | Kabelo SERIBA | Unattached |
| 12. | Tercious MALEPE | Chippa United (SA) |
| 13. | Sandile MTHETHWA | Chippa United (SA) |
| 14. | Njabulo BLOM | Kaizer Chiefs (SA) |
| 15. | Reeve FROSLER | Kaizer Chiefs (SA) |
| 16. | Given MSIMANGO | Highlands Park (SA) |
| 17. | James Thabiso MONYANE | Orlando Pirates (SA) |
| 18. | Bongani SAM | Orlando Pirates (SA) |
| 19. | Katlego MOHAMME | University of Pretoria (SA) |
| 20. | Thendo MUKUMELA | Ajax Cape Town (SA) |
| 21. | Happy MASHIANE | Kaizer Chiefs (SA) |
| 22. | Keegan JOHANNES | Ajax Cape Town (SA) |
| 23. | Jerry MSANE | Highlands Park (SA) |
| 24. | Nikola TAVARES | Crystal Palace (ENGLAND) |
| 25. | Innocent MAELA | Orlando Pirates (SA) |
| 26. | Thulani HLATSHWAYO | Bidvest Wits (SA) |
| 27. | Keanin AYER | Varbergs BolS (SWEDEN) |
| 28. | Motjeka MADISHA | Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) |
| 29. | Mosa LEBUSA | Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) |
| 30. | Sibusiso NGOBENI | Bloemfontein Celtic (SA) |
| 31. | Sibusiso MABILISO | Amazulu (SA) |
| 32. | Rivaldo COETZEE | Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) |
| 33. | Tasreeq FILLIES | Cape Town City (SA) |
| 34. | Rushin DE REUCK | Maritzburg Utd (SA) |
| 35. | Luke FLEURS | Supersport United (SA) |
| MIDFIELDERS: | ||
| 36. | Teboho MOKOENA | Supersport United (SA) |
| 37. | Athenkosi DLALA | University of Pretoria (SA) |
| 38. | Sipho MBULE | Supersport United (SA) |
| 39. | Neo Gift LINKS | Aarhus (DENMARK) |
| 40. | Kamohelo Abel MAHLATSI | Supersport United (SA) |
| 41. | Grant MARGEMAN | Ajax Cape Town (SA) |
| 42. | Jamie Craig WEBBER | Supersport United (SA) |
| 43. | Thabo CELE | Lova da Piedade (PORTUGAL) |
| 44. | Khanya LESHABELA | Leicester City (ENGLAND) |
| 45. | Kgaogelo CHAUKE | Southampton (ENGLAND) |
| 46. | Siphesihle MADUNA | Amazulu (SA) |
| 47. | Kgotso MASANGANE | FC Metta (LATVIA) |
| 48. | Tasreeq MATTHEWS | Varbergs BolS (Sweden) |
| 49. | Bongani ZUNGU | Amiens (FRANCE) |
| 50. | Siphesihle NGCOBO | Kaizer Chiefs (SA) |
| 51. | Sbongakonke MBATHA | TS Sporting (SA) |
| 52. | Sphelele MKHULISE | Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) |
| 53. | Thembinkosi LORCH | Orlando Pirates (SA) |
| 54. | Vincent PULE | Orlando Pirates (SA) |
| 55. | Goodman MOSELE | Baroka FC (SA) |
| 56. | Kgaogelo SEKOTA | Bidvest Wits (SA) |
| 57. | Aubrey MODIBA | SuperSport United (SA) |
| 58. | Themba ZWANE | Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) |
| 59. | Siphesihle MKHIZE | Ajax Cape Town (SA) |
| FORWARDS | ||
| 60. | Luther SINGH | Moreirense (PORTUGAL) |
| 61. | Jemondre DICKENS | TS Sporting (SA) |
| 62. | Lyle FOSTER | Cercle Brugge (BELGIUM) |
| 63. | Liam JORDAN | HB Koge (Denmark) |
| 64. | Kobamelo KODISANG | Sporting Braga (Portugal) |
| 65. | Itumeleng SHOPANE | Moroka Swallows (SA) |
| 66. | Phakamani MAHLAMBI | Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) |
| 67. | Bongani HLONGWANE | Maritzburg United (SA) |
| 68. | Percy TAU | Club Brugge (BELGIUM) |
| 69. | Lebo MOTHIBA | FC Strasbourg (FRANCE) |
| 70. | Promise MKHUMA | Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) |
| 71. | Rowan HUMAN | Bidvest Wits (SA) |
| 72. | Oswin APPOLIS | SuperSport United (SA) |
| 73. | Gift MOTUPA | Bidvest Wits (SA) |
| 74. | Keletso MAKGALWA | Mamelodi Sundowns (SA) |
| 75. | Luvuyo PHEWA | Real Kings (SA) |
| 76. | Fagrie LAKAY | Cape Town City (SA) |
| 77. | Judas MOSEAMEDI | Maritzburg United (SA) |
| 78. | Bonginkosi NTULI | Amazulu (SA) |
