15 Aug 2016

 Debswana managing director Balisi Bonyongo has advised Botswana Football Association (BFA) to pursue other investment opportunities and move away from being an investor’s charity case.

Officially opening BFA annual general assembly on August 13, Bonyongo said BFA should learn from the English Football Association which registered a gross profit of 261 million pounds in 2014 with income streams from broadcasting, sponsorship and licensing, events and stadia income. “In fact the FA is just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to the football industry the English Premier League reported a 5.1 billion pound gross profit for the same period,” he said

Bonyongo told the delegates that the FA’s St George’s Park Football centre provided world class facilities that catered for a range of qualifications in the football career path as well as higher business education programmes.

Therefore, he said it was not surprising that British children grow up playing the beautiful game not just for health and the love of the game, but because they know it could be a source of lively hood. 

Furthermore, he said David Beckham in his prime was reported to be worth 175 million pounds, Michael Owen 40 million pounds, and Frank Lampard 33 million pounds.

“With that said, I once again ask all of you here today this very pivotal question ‘Is the purpose of the BFA in the next 50 years clear in all of your minds? 

Is the vision aligned to that purpose? Do the values we follow bind us together? Will the strategy underpinning all of the above deliver?”

In other matters, Debswana boss said Botswana FIFA world ranking has improved tremendously from having an unranked ceremonial team in 1966 to number 90 out of 201 nations in 2016.

As a result of this, he said CAF ranking has rocketed to 24 out of 57 countries in 2016, adding the quality of players had followed suit as evidenced by the number of players being attracted to international leagues such as Dipsy Selolwane, Mogogi Gabonamong, Tsotso Ngele, Terrence Mophuting, and Jerome Ramatlhakwane.

Bonyongo further said the quality of Botswana’s coaches had also attracted international clubs with Major David Bright having gone to coach in South Africa, adding that infrastructure development has improved from one national stadium to fifteen recognised stadia.

Furthermore, he said BFA had rolled out and participated in grass roots development programmes such as the Re ba bona Ha and Chappies league including Under-15 to Under-23 participation in regional COSAFA and CAF games as well as FIFA games. According to Bonyongo coaching and capacity building programmes had also pushed the quality of football leagues from amateur to semi-professional.

The game, he said had moved from a structure that was completely based on volunteerism to one that has created substantive positions for technical support, administration, and coaching and team support staff.

He said football had seen a growth in sponsorships and financial support from the private sector.

For many years, he said BFA operated out of two offices in the crevices of the national stadium, today BFA operates out of the impressive buildings of the Lekidi centre.

“From this evidence, I feel there has been good progress towards achieving the vision, mission and living the values of the BFA,” he said. ENDS