26 Jun 2017

 Club licensing will come into effect in the coming season following its postponement during the 2016 Botswana Football Association (BFA) annual general meeting.

Speaking at the official opening of Botswana Premier League annual general meeting on Saturday, the president of BFA, Maclean Letshwiti said the licensing system was supposed to have come into effect last season, but that the BFA National Executive Committee (NEC) requested for a waiver from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to allow all stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the requirements.

Letshwiti stated that clubs which do not meet the “mandatory” criteria would not get a license to play in the elite league.

He noted that it was a Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) requirement that no club should participate in any competition without a license, adding that “football bodies want nothing but governance in the game.”

He said delegates would agree with him that there was a task ahead of them which needed collective efforts.

Letshwiti also pointed out that inspiration could be drawn from countries such as Malawi and Liberia who had met the regulations for club licensing.

Furthermore, he urged clubs to familiarise themselves with the club licensing system requirements to avoid being left out.

“The issue is out of my control and I cannot do anything about it if you don’t qualify, you are not going to be part of the league this season,” he added.

Letshwiti also informed delegates that he had been elected to the FIFA disciplinary committee, saying it meant charity begins at home.

Letshwiti said as a member of the FIFA disciplinary committee, he would enforce rules and regulations regarding player welfare, adding that he was saddened by reports that teams did not have proper medical examinations for players.

He said the professional football player contract minimum standard as per FIFA, which was supposed to have effected nine years ago was adopted.

Additionally, Letshwiti also stated that the provision for the National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) would also be enforced, and that disputes within clubs would be addressed through representatives and the BFA legal representative.

He explained that in an endeavour to commercialise and professionalise the league, the BFA NEC has appointed two agencies, Fresh Brands and VIVID. He said the two agencies would be responsible for marketing and sourcing sponsorship for the BFA and the national league, adding that he was hopeful it would assist in the growth of local football.

On other issues, Letshwiti congratulated the league champions and the BPL board for running the 2016/2017 season smoothly.

For his part, BPL chairperson, Rapula Okaile also confirmed that they had a smooth season free from confusions and protests although they encountered a few challenges, especially on the issue of ticketing.

He said the BPL would use the coming season as a litmus test and ensure that everything that had been lacking the past season would be dealt with.

Okaile urged his colleagues to do things legally to avoid challenges that might arise.

He said as BPL they should stand up to challenges and take responsibility. ENDS