01 Jun 2016

Botswana Football Association (BFA) president, Tebogo Sebego says he regrets his administration’s failure to stage the association’s challenge cup since 2012.

Sebego’s four-year tenure is set to come to an end at the association’s annual general meeting next month, but he has since indicated a desire to stand for re-election.

The BFA Challenge Cup, which was known as Coca Cola Cup for sponsorship reasons between 1992 and 2012, was played annually for over three decades. 

However, it had not been staged for the past four years after Kgalagadi Breweries Limited (KBL) stopped sponsoring the competition and BFA struggled to find a new partner.

Gaborone United was the last team to win the competition, beating Mochudi Centre Chiefs on penalty-shootout after their pulsating final finished in a goalless stalemate.

Sebego said at the recent First Division South (FDS) annual general meeting that his executive committee managed to negotiate a sponsorship for the tournament but they decided to not continue with the deal because the company was offering less than what KBL was giving the competition annually.

“The company was offering to give us P2.4 million but I refused to agree because the amount was low compared to the previous sponsorship. With the benefit of a hind-sight I am now regretting that decision,” Sebego said.

BFA, he said, should have agreed to the deal and given the sponsor less benefits in order to continue with competition momentum. 

“If there is one thing which in my conscience I still believe that I have failed to do is ensuring that the FA (BFA) cup continues,” Sebego said.

He said the association has made a proposal for sponsorship of the tournament to some company and they were hoping that it would be fruitful. Sebego said he was desperate for the competition to be staged again.

Apart from the BFA Challenge Cup, Sebego said he was happy with the impact his administration has made in developing football.

He said one positive impact was the introduction of the block system, which helped to ensure that teams from western parts of the country such as Kgalagadi and Ghanzi districts were promoted to the first division. 

Last year, Tsabong Black Rangers gained promotion to the first division, while Skoon Boys was promoted this year. 

Before the block system was introduced, it was difficult for team from those areas to go through to the first division at the playoffs.  

Notwithstanding, Sebego said he was happy that first division football was now truly spread throughout the country. Ends