31 Aug 2017

Gaborone United, Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Extension Gunners are among the 11 premier league clubs still to be given full licenses to compete in the BTC Premiership this season.

The three giants, together with newly promoted Sharps Shooting Stars, Uniao Flamingo Santos and Tafic, as well as Sankoyo Bush Bucks, Gilport Lions, BDF XI, Miscellaneous and Black Forest, had not fully complied with club licensing requirements.

Mfolo Mfolo, the chairperson of First Instance Body which handles club license processes in Botswana, said the 11 clubs were issued provisional licenses of varying degrees, and that they had until October 31 to meet other requirements before they could be issued full licenses.

Speaking at a press conference on August 30, Mfolo warned that failure to acquire full licenses would result in the clubs being barred from competing in the BTC Premiership.

He said Township Rollers, Orapa United, Jwaneng Galaxy, Police XI and Security Systems were the only clubs issued with full licenses by his committee after meeting the requirements.

Mfolo explained that club licensing was first sanctioned by FIFA in 2007 with the intention to promote and improve the quality and level of football, ensure that clubs had appropriate infrastructure, knowledge and application in respect of management and organisation, and to improve the economic and financial capacity of clubs through proper corporate governance and controls.

 “We as the football body in Botswana have been very slow to implement this regulation. But this year we took the initiative to make sure that there is adherence to club licensing,” he said.

Mfolo said they considered aspects such as whether a club had an approved youth development programme, availability of stadium for hosting home matches and a leased training ground before issuing club licenses.

“We know that clubs here do not own stadiums, but it is very important that they must have a home ground and an alternative home ground,” he said.

He also said they looked at  administrative and personnel issues, which entailed whether clubs had offices with communication facilities.

Furthermore, he said clubs were required to employ a general manager tasked with the day-to-day running of the team, finance officer, security officer, medical officer and physiotherapist, qualified head coach of senior team, assistant coach, goalkeeper coach and youth coaches for youth development programmes.

He said clubs were also required to present audited financial statements as proof that they were in good financial standing. “Teams must be in good financial standing. That is to say they should not be owing any of their employees,” he said.

He said clubs which were graded during their adjudication process were Sharps, Miscellaneous, Chiefs and Forest and that they were given a provisional B License.

He added BDF XI, Lions, Sankoyo and Tafic were given provisional A License, while GU, Gunners and Santos were given provisional A License. ENDS