The Uruguay soccer team have refused to press charges after $12 000 (R92 500) was stolen from two players' hotel rooms in Cape Town - apparently because one of their own delegation was behind the theft.
It is understood that the team were staying at the Vineyard Hotel in Newlands, which was crawling with police yesterday.
Police spokeswoman Brigadier Sally de Beer confirmed that thieves had broken into two of the players' hotel rooms in Newlands while they were playing France on Friday night. Two of the squad members, Ernesto Rodriguez and Daniel Marotta, returned to their rooms to find that money had been stolen.
Rodriguez lost $4 000 (R30 800) and Marotta $8 000 (R61 700).
De Beer said the police had been called to the hotel, and after viewing surveillance camera footage, they concluded that a member of the Uruguay delegation may have been involved.
They spoke to the team's managers, who then declined to press charges, saying they would deal with the matter themselves.
The team play Bafana Bafana in Pretoria on Wednesday. They drew 0-0 in their game with France on Friday.
Management at the Vineyard Hotel declined to comment.