Football stoppage infuriates fans

Nullifying 2020/21 league unsettles football lovers

Clubs feeling pinch over lack of competitive football

Teams broke, forced to dissolve training and camps

BAKANG TIRO

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

Top flight football teams have lamented the decision by Botswana Football Association (BFA)’s decision to nullify the 2020\21 premier league season saying it’s putting football into a disarray.

Clubs are not happy with the BFA decision after 1 year of   no competitive football and they are running out patience as the suspension of the game is becoming a costly burden to their affairs.

Extension Gunners Spokespersons Gerald Mahumba said the cancellation of the league came as an inconvenience to the club but said they cannot dwell on the BFA decision but remain focused.

He said that the club has embarked on selling merchandise to raise funds for survival amid football ban.

According to him, Gunners is also in a membership recruitment drive aimed at pushing the club fans to authenticate their membership or association to the team, saying that it is going very well.

“Yes, nobody can afford to take so long without playing football. Here at Gunners we didn’t just fold our hands and do nothing while there is not football. We are in a Covid-19 pandemic but as the team we are very happy that we devised ways under which we continue being active,” he said.

Gaborone United (GU) Chairman Boitumelo Nsunge said that there has been a promise at the beginning of the year that the league will start but the decision to nullify it further is disappointing.

“We assembled a very competitive and expensive team during the transfer window hoping that the league will resume. The nullification forced us to suspend the training. Our only source of now is our financier Zackhem who is paying all the expenses. This is bad for our team,” he said.

Football analyst Mmoni Segopolo said that the local football is poised for a serious disaster ahead.

 Segopolo added that it is a serious setback for the already ailing local football as the national teams at both at senior and junior levels as their performance is compromised due to lack of football.

He said that BFA should not hide behind Covid-19 but must come out clear over return delays.

“It is bad that the football season was nullified even before it was played. How do you nullify something that didn’t happen? This is very bad and shows that we have long way to go,” he said.

Football Union of Botswana (FUB) Secretary Kgosansa Masaseng wasn’t available for comment.

At a board meeting held in Gaborone last week Saturday, Botswana Football Association (BFA) National Executive Committee resolved mutually that the 2020/21 football season be nullified.

The meeting also resolved that an adoption of the return to play guidelines to be submitted to the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC) and the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC).

Instead, emanating from the normalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the BFA and the Botswana Football League (BFL), there will be football tournaments organised for clubs to take part in active sport.

The meeting also rubber stamped the BFL adoption of the Constitution, which will pave the way for club licensing roadmap, adoption of new regulations and an appointment of the First Instance Body and the Appeal body.

The BFA NEC comprise of the BFA President Maclean Letshwiti, BFA VP1 Marshlow Motlogelwa, BFA VP2 Masego Ntshingane, NEC members, Carlos Sebina, Tico Kamati, Alec Fela Monyake, Female representative, Lobito Ncube, Southern Block representative Sydney Kafela, Northern Block Tshegofatso Balisi, Western Block representative Olson Mantle, Eastern Block representative Barulaganye Moloi, Botswana Football League Chairman Aryl Ralebala and First Division representative, Sydney Magagane. Also present was the BFA acting CEO Thabiso Kebotsamang and the BFA Lawyer, Pako Moakofhi.