16 Sep 2013

The much anticipated be Mobile Premier League kicked off to a comical start over the weekend where the warring factions of BMC FC showed up for a fixture pencilled for Swallows grounds in Palapye, each claiming that they were the legitimate side to meet Motlakase.

Both sides were donning BMC's traditional green and white colours. Drama ensued during the pre-match meeting team officials presented two separate team sheets under the same name: BMC FC.

There was a team led by Sonny Phiri who said he was a chairman and the other one led by Nelson Radijeng who said he was a team manager representing the new owner, Estafier Ghodrati.

Impromptu meetings were held between match officials and those from the two camps but no consensus was reached as to who exactly between the two was BMC.

The Sonny Phiri camp presented a document allegedly from Registrar of Societies which stated that BMC FC was a social welfare club with the registration certificate number CR 0383 and in it there were names of committee members clearly stating their designations including Phiri as a chairman.

He had only seven players in his arsenal while the rest were on his rival’s side. On the other hand, Radijeng’s camp had registration documents (blue books) for all the players including the seven from Phiri’s camp as evidence that they were the legitimate BMC FC side, with a typed match sheet which Phiri’s side did not have.

During this entire saga, Radijeng’s camp, the bulk of who were suspended by the club just before the 2012-13 season ended, maintained that they could not take any decision as to whether they were pulling out or not and said it was up to the BFA to decide. It appeared that the committee was unilaterally re-appointed by the new owner who failed to consult with neither Phiri nor the supporters.

All this disappointing and unfortunate events unfolded right in front of the BPL CEO Bennet Mamelodi who at one point asked the two factions if any one of them was not willing to back off and the answer was no, with Radijeng’s camp maintaining that BFA was the one to decide. He eventually together with match officials decided to call off the fixture.

Meanwhile hordes of starved central region fans who thronged the venue in numbers hoping to see the league action watched in despair as their dream went up in smoke.

Things almost got out of hand when the fans saw match officials leaving the pitch, as they started demanding their ‘hard earned’ cash back and blocked the security minibus which was used as a selling point.

After a lengthy argument which was punctuated by insults from time to time, the fans gave in probably maybe because of fast thinking minds of Chouka and Radijeng’s camp who agreed to have a friendly encounter as it was clear that no refunds would be made. Ends