A bitter row erupted in local sport over the past week. It was revealed in the local media that the SA Football Association was not amused by revelations that there were serious disparities in the allocation of funds for the Varsity Cup rugby and football competitions. Reports indicated that clubs participating in the rugby competition received R1.3-million to prepare for the tournament.However, clubs participating in the soccer version of the Varsity Cup are alleged to have been allocated a measly R73,000 to prepare - a classic case of some being more equal than others, perhaps?I found this rather shocking, to say the least. I honestly cannot find a reason for this huge disparity, especially when one considers that the objective in both sporting codes is the same - to develop the game at that level.I would like to believe that we have made significant strides towards eradicating inequalities after attaining our democracy. Yet when something this silly crops up - which tends to happen regularly these days - you start wondering if we are not a cursed nation.This is without doubt a sensitive matter that evokes bitter memories of a past that we are so desperately trying to leave behind, as we tentatively move towards what Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula likes to describe as "using sport as a vehicle for social cohesion".My initial reaction was to dismiss the organisers of the event - Francois Pienaar's Advent Sport Entertainment and Media - as belonging to the ox-wagon era, but I found that to be harsh and concluded that perhaps I needed to reserve my judgment as it might indeed have been a genuine mistake and there was possibly a plausible explanation.The president of Safa, Danny Jordaan, and his CEO, Dennis Mumble, are said to have arranged a meeting with the organisers to get to the bottom of what exactly was happening, and see if an amicable solution could be reached.But I would like to go one step further and advise the Varsity Cup organisers and Safa bigwigs to extend an invitation to Mbalula, and even the minister of education, to attend the meeting.There is another delicate issue that is intrinsicto this matter and the two ministers can offer their advice.There has been an outcry about the scarcity of white football players in local football. And sometimes the finger of blame is pointed at teachers attached to former Model C schools.They are accused of deliberately forcing pupils to play rugby and cricket, and conveniently "forget" to introduce football.I accept their excuse that they cannot coach football because there are simply no football grounds to introduce the game to the pupils. Those teachers are indeed right because it is a deliberate and calculated plan to build magnificent rugby fields of international standard at each school.There are enough facilities for athletics, rugby, wrestling and cricket to even host the Commonwealth and Olympic games at each primary and high school, but absolutely nothing for football.So, when the primary school teachers shrug their shoulders in frustration and explain that football has no facilities, they are absolutely right, because it has been designed so that football should not see the light of day at most former Model C schools.That is why the presence of these ministers at this proposed meeting is needed to address this burning issue as well.Hopefully, it would lead to a situation in which children are given the latitude to choose their preferred sport, instead of being channelled in a particular direction...