22 Feb 2023

There is hope that two women footballers will soon return to the fields after failing to honour their contracts with an Equatorial Guinea-based club.

Kesegofetse Mochawe and Refilwe Tholakelo were contracted with Malabo Kings for one year, but they returned home without the consent of their club.

A Botswana Football Association (BFA) official, Mojaki Monnakgotla, said Gaborone United were interested in the services of Mochawe while Tholakelo was training with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.

He said the two players were important members of the national team and that they were hoping that Sundowns would sign Tholakelo after negotiations with Malabo Kings.

He said the Equatorial Guinea club was negotiating with Sundowns for the player and that if they agreed on personal terms, it would be the easiest way to take.

He also said they were aware that Gaborone United had engaged Malabo Kings with the view of signing Mochawe.

He said if Malabo released the player to Gaborone United, it would be a welcome development because she would start playing.

Mojaki also said the association would provide physiological and any other assistance to the two players when they return to the field of play.

“They are important members of the national team and have played every minute of our games at WAFCON 2022. As we prepare for the Olympic qualifiers, our desire is that they be part of the team,” he said.

Mojaki said the two players returned home because they were not happy with certain things and that it was their first time to play outside the country.

He said they left the club without making any formal communication to their employer.

“They did desert work and requested Malabo Kings to release them from their contracts,” said Mojaki, adding that the club would not just release them without compensation. ENDS