15 Aug 2016

 Notwane has escaped a two year ban from football activities after their punishment by the National Executive Committee (NEC) was not upheld by the Botswana Football Association (BFA) general assembly on August 13.

This means that Notwane will take their place in the First Division South League for the 2016/17 season. 

NEC had found club the guilty of taking football matters to court and slapped them with a two year suspension last month. 

Last year in June Notwane filed an urgent High Court case in a bid to have their relegation playoff match against FC Satmos stopped. 

They lost the case and went on to lose the match 5-4 at Serowe Sports Complex and were relegated to the first division. 

Afterwards, the team affectionately called ‘Sechaba’ unsuccessfully appealed the outcome of their case at the Court of Appeal. 

BFA legal adviser, Onkagetse Pusoentsi  told the general assembly that Notwane had violated the association’s constitution. 

He said the club also gave an unsatisfactory answer when asked to show course why they should not be punished for violating the constitution.

“On 29 June 2016 a resolution was taken to suspend the member (Notwane) for two seasons with one season suspended provided the member did not violate the same statutes,” Pusoentsi said.

But the move was roundly declined by delegates with representative of Kgatleng Region, Clifford Mogomotsi arguing that the punishment would appear selective if it were to be upheld. 

He said football has had issues of similar nature in the past and they were not punished by expulsion. 

“Let us not seem to be selective when applying the rules,” Mogomotsi said. 

Francistown Region representative Maokaneng Bontshetse supported the view that Notwane did not deserve a suspension.  None of the delegates stood up in support and the proposal was therefore defeated.

Meanwhile, a motion calling for the Premier League run by an independent committee was defeated. 

The motion wanted the Premier League Management Committee to be comprised of individuals who do not form part of management of any club in the league. 

Motivating the motion Kgato Motai of Nhabe region argued that the current scenario where members of the Premier League Management Committee are chosen from club chairmen has often led to a conflict of interest. Mogomotsi moved for rejection of the motion, stating that the status quo sufficed where the Botswana Premier League club chairmen form the management committee. 

Rapula Okaile representing Gaborone United called for its cancellation while a Green Lovers representative said the motion contradicted international best practices. 

Another motion seeking to increase the tenure of region’s executive committee from two to four was unanimously approved. ENDS