Put that in your pocket

Sport on by Mogan Segadavan

WHEN one thinks of the amount of money sportsmen earn these days the mind boggles.
It makes Gerald Majola's bonus look like small change.
Novak Djokovic, who won the Australian Open last week, pockets around R136-million a year, which translates to just R544000 per day. After the win he is certain to earn a cent or two more.
However, he is way behind Roger Federer who earns R354-million, or R1.4-million daily.
Sandwiched in between is Rafael Nadal with R234- million a year or R936000 a day.
David Beckham heads the soccer players with over R300-million annually or R850000 a day. That figure should increase considerably with the latest range of underwear he launched this week.
Christiano Ronaldo is not far behind with R287-million annually.
Even Carlos Tevez who has been in the news recently, following his spat with Manchester City manager Roberto Manchini, is not doing too badly with R143-million a year. He was getting paid a reported R2.4-million a week just for turning up for practice.
Obviously money is not an issue for him as he is AWOL somewhere in Argentina and forfeiting that salary. He has not kicked a ball in anger since November last year.
Earlier this week the New England Patriots played the New York Giants in the 46th Super Bowl final in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Advertisers paid just over R264.7-million for a 30-second advertising slot, and there was no shortage of takers.
Spectators forked out R129000 for a ticket! Those who came in by private jets paid 10 times that amount.
Whew!
Talking of money Fifa's security arm is investing allegations that four Bafana Bafana matches before the 2010 Soccer World Cup were fixed.
The referees for the matches were arranged by a shadowy organisation called Football4U run by a Singaporean based in London, Wilson Raj Perumal. He was jailed in Finland for match-fixing last year.
The strange thing about the sorry saga is the then CEO of Safa, Leslie Sedebe, said he does not remember signing the contract and Lindile "Ace” Kika had dealt with Football4U. Should the buck not stop with the CEO?
Remember Majola admitting to the Nicholson Commission he did not know much about the Companies Act?
How do sports bodies go about electing their CEOs?
No wonder sport in the country is in such a mess.