01 Jun 2015

In a new twist concerning the unfolding Sankoyo Bush Bucks saga, the Botswana Premier League (BPL) executive committee says its Friday (May 29) decision, which docked the Maun-based club a record number of points is still in effect.

Therefore, Ngurungu remained relegated to first division football as they were left with six points only. The team was docked 29 points due to using a defaulter in Zimbabwean striker, Morris Ruzivo.

In a statement released today (June 1) the BPL said, “please be advised that the duly appointed executive committee of the BPL met this morning and came to the following conclusions; That the decision taken on Friday 29 May 2015 still stands, and to refer the matter to the chief prosecutor of the BPL for determination.”

The statement also said there were two matters before the BPL DC that should be determined. These are the Notwane vs Sankoyo and Letlapeng vs Sankoyo cases.

The statement said the play-off between Notwane and FC Satmos shall not be played tomorrow (June 2).

Earlier today, news doing the round was that the BPL board had reversed the decision to dock Sankoyo Bush Bucks 29 points. The board had allegedly discussed the matter in its meeting on Sunday (May 31) and agreed that Ngurungu should be returned the points. 

On Friday (May 29), BPL chairperson, Arnold Somolekae had said Sankoyo had been docked all points acquired with Morris Ruzivo playing because the National Appeals Board (NAB) had ruled that the player was improperly registered.

Somolekae explained that the NAB ruling meant that the points gained with Ruzivo involved were illegal and therefore must be scrapped off. The team signed Ruzivo before the start of the 2014/15 be Mobile Premier League season.

The protracted issue over his eligibility first surfaced in January when FC Satmos lodged an appeal in which they alleged that the player was a defaulter as he was playing without a proper International Transfer Certificate (ICT).

Satmos won the case. However, Sankoyo ldged an appeal, which was dismissed by the NAB. With the NAB having ruled that Ruzivo was improperly registered, the BPL management committee decided to scrap all points Bush Bucks gained using Ruzivo.

The management committee comprises of the BPL executive as well as the chief executive officer. Earlier on today, Somolekae had confirmed that the BPL meeting on Sunday had agreed to reverse the decision to dock the Bush Bucks points.

However, he had defended the management committee decision, saying it was appropriate and taken fairly.

“The decision was based on the National Appeals Board ruling that the Sankoyo Bush Bucks player (Ruzivo) was ineligible to play in the Botswana Premier League prior to January 23, 2015 and subsequent to that until he was properly registered.

The Play Rules and Regulations state that any team that uses a defaulter in a match shall lose three points and two goals from that match,” Somolekae said.

He said the decision was taken impartially and without any influence of which teams would be surviving relegation.

“We were just following the ruling of the highest court of football in our country,” he added. He said the BFA Disciplinary Committee and the NAB had declared that the registration of Morris Ruzivo was null and void.

Somolekae said some board members at the Sunday meeting felt that the punishment on Bush Bucks was too severe.

Board members changed the punishment and instead fined Bush Bucks P10 000.  But this had since been overturned by Monday’s decision, which upheld the decision to dock points and thus relegate Sankoyo.

“The question is, is the board a competent authority to change the judgment of the National Appeals Board,” Somolekae wondered.

Bush Bucks chairperson William Dikgosana said he was in a meeting when contacted for a comment. Ngurungu were also docked three points and two goals in January for using Shelton Sibanda in a match against Motlakase Power Dynamos before his ICT had arrived. ENDS