04 Feb 2015

Negotiations between government and the Botswana Football Association (BFA) on constituency tournaments in respect of Federation of International Football Association’s (FIFA) September 2014 deadline were concluded in August 2014.

Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng said this in response to a question in Parliament from Selebi-Phikwe West MP, Dithapelo Keorapetse.

The outcome of the negotiations, Olopeng said, was made public through a press release. In this connection, he said the BFA provided an update to FIFA on September 12, 2014 highlighting progress made and the agreement reached with the government at the meeting of September 9. 

However, the minister said FIFA was not completely satisfied with the BFA’s position, and its response, “FIFA stated that they expect the BFA to revert to them by March 16, 2015, as regards the way forward on the matter.”

“The BFA has since presented the new position of FIFA to my ministry, and discussions are ongoin between my ministry and the BFA to find a solution to the matter,” he added.

Keorapetse had asked  Olopeng to update MPs on the BFA and government negotiations on the constituency tournaments in respect of the FIFA September 2014 deadline for compliance with the FIFA’s statutes. ends