Zimbabwean-born telecommunications magnate Strive Masiyiwa has dismissed reports claiming that he is set to buy South African premiership club, SuperSport United.
On Tuesday, a South African publication claimed Masiyiwa was on the verge of buying the club, with the deal reported to be “almost complete”.
However, in a Facebook post, Masiyiwa refuted the report saying “I don’t go around trying to buy sports teams.” Said Masiyiwa:
Over the last few weeks, there has apparently been a lot of social media chatter started by an article by a South African journalist, claiming that I have made a bid to buy a South African sports team called SuperSport United.
With all due respect to the club and its fans, I had actually never heard of them.
I’m sure they must be a great club but this is not my business. I don’t go around trying to buy sports teams.
Even if you offered me the best sports team for $10, I would still not buy it because I don’t believe in buying businesses one knows nothing about.
Sports is a serious business just like telecoms or mining or fashion; only I’m not into the business of sport. And anyone who has been on this platform knows that.
What surprised and saddened me, however, was that a self-respecting “journalist” [I won’t mention the name] would imagine a story and simply proceed to write about it as though it were real.
He did not check it out or speak to anyone in my organisation. Why let something like facts and truth get in the way of a fake story?
That is just so scary and a complete disgrace to this very important profession of journalism.