14 Jun 2016

The hastily organised beMOBILE Premier League playoff between Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Township Rollers will be played June 15.

The match which is set to kick-off at 3pm at the National Stadium will settle the two-months long feud over who is the real 2015/16 beMOBILE Premier League champion.

Rollers finished the season at the top of the table with 70 points while Chiefs held second position with 62 points. However, there was a dispute as Chiefs, Gilport Lions, Miscellaneous and Police XI alleged that Mapalastina midfielder Ofentse Nato was improperly registered.

Lions won their case and Rollers was deducted three points leaving them with 67.  The cases of three other teams meanwhile lingered over. Rulings over the status of the player were made and reversed throwing the league into chaos. 

Finally, the Premier League deducted seven more points from Rollers after the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) upheld the protests of the three teams. This left Chiefs as champions with 64 points. 

In disgust, Mapalastina lodged a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) as they remained steadfast that Nato was properly registered to play for them. Nato joined Rollers apparently as a free-agent in February 2016.  

The Premier League then scored a glaring own-goal when it crowned Chiefs as league champions on the last weekend of league fixtures despite a pending Rollers case at CAS.

In an astonishing twist the three protests involving Chiefs, Miscellaneous and Police XI against Rollers were re-started at the Premier League Disciplinary Committee. Police XI however decided to not continue with their protest. Chiefs and Miscellaneous lost their protests but Chiefs appealed and won the case.

The outcome of the appeal meant that Rollers forfeited two points to Chiefs and three to Miscellaneous, leaving Chiefs top of the league with 64 points and Rollers second with 62. A playoff was therefore necessary to determine the champion. In an interview June 14, Rollers public relations office Phempheretlhe Pheto said Mapalastina were prepared for the match: “We started gathering our players last week after the National Disciplinary Committee ruling on Monday. All of our players have been training since Wednesday except Lawrence Majawa who is in Malawi.”

Pheto explained that head-coach Mark Harrison, who recently signed a new contract with the Gaborone west giants, arrived in the country on Thursday last week to prepare the team.
“Our players have gone through testing times over the past few months and have adapted to the rough situation. They are now focusing on playing the match and are ready for Mochudi Centre Chiefs,” he added.
He said they have decided to honour the match even though they have lodged a case at CAS.
“We have been told that we could be punished if we do not honour the match,” he said.
BOPA failed to get a comment from Chiefs public relations officer Clifford Mogomotsi as his phone continuously rang unanswered. ENDS