Notwane welcome reprieve from BFA, But…!

Notwane have welcomed the decision by Botswana Football Association (BFA) to allow them to participate in this year’s Premier League season though they were initially barred for having failed to comply with Club Licensing provisions.

Notwane’s statement reads:

We welcome the decision of the BFA to allow Notwane FC and other teams to participate in the 2021/2022 Premier League Season. 

Whilst the position of the BFA indicates that the clubs have been given a ‘reprieve’, it is our position that the verdict or outcome of the Appeal ought to have preceded the ‘reprieve’. 

Our position as Notwane is that we have fully complied with the requirements of Club Licensing and that the FIB was wrong in its findings hence our appeal. We maintain that our appeal was meritorious and on the strength of the facts and evidence presented, the appeal ought to succeed. 

Our position is therefore that our participation in the 2021/22 league should not be based on a ‘reprieve’ but rather success in appeal, as it should be. 

To this end, we had anticipated a written judgment from the Appeals Body addressing the substance of our appeal based on the merits of our case.

Whilst the ‘reprieve’ affords Notwane an opportunity to play in the next season, the manner in which it unfolded places the team in a bad light and classifies it as a ‘non compliant’ club, something which the team disputes.

We have been advised that a written communication will be issued to the team. We await the contents thereof to enable us to raise the above concerns formally.”