19 Feb 2014

be Mobile Premier League games have been going on at Palapye Swallows grounds without medical rescue personnel and this has provoked concerns regarding the risky nature of premier league games.

The omission came to light over the weekend when two good Samaritans had to get involved after two players had sustained serious head injuries after colliding during a do-or-die encounter between Miscellaneous and Tafic at the Swallows grounds.

Two of Miscellaneous’s die-hard supporters; Malebogo Motsokono, a psychiatric nurse at Sekgoma Memorial hospital, and Bakazi Seoganeleng, who is a midwife, were handy to save lives as no medical personnel were on site to provide first aid.

The rescuers applied first aid on the unconscious Gofaone Molapi of Miscellaneous with no protective gear despite the fact that the player was bleeding.

As the two clubs sought to escape the dreaded relegation axe, it must have dawned on the multitudes that had come to witness the beautiful game, including former vice president, Lt Gen. Mompati Merafhe, a staunch supporter of Miscellaneous, if those players’ lives were not at risk.

Acting chairman of Miscellaneous, Boitumelo Dambe, expressed disappointment and pointed out that they had in the past written a letter to BPL concerning the matter but no one had given them feedback. Dambe promised that his team will be writing to BPL again for re-dress on the matter before a life is lost on the field.

Boitumelo Thwabi, who was the match commissioner admitted in an interview that such a situation was unsafe, but he attributed the lapse to the fact that med rescue was based in Selebi Phikwe and Francistown.

However, Thwabi said Botswana Premier League's (BPL) chief executive officer (CEO), Bernad Mamelodi had promised that in the next game the med rescue personnel will be in attendance.

“In future, no game will be played in the absence of professional medics, and the good news is that the player, who had to be rushed to Palapye Primary Hospital and then to Princess Marina for a scan, is well. Reports show that he has no fractures in his skull,” he said.

There was hope as a union for professional players; Football Union of Botswana (FUB) was out and about educating players on the importance of having medical cover, insurance and legal cover.

Head of Communications for the Union Kgosana Masaseng said it is vital for players to have such covers because football is a short career adding that that is why they are calling on the BPL to provide better working conditions such as good playing grounds.
He said the main objective of FUB is to advocate for players welfare.

Last year, the Botswana Premier League took a decision that Miscellaneous FC and Motlakase Power Dynamos use the dusty ground of Swallows as their home ground.  Efforts to contact BPL CEO were unsuccessful as his phone was not available. ENDS