Screening delays appeal verdict
Kabelo Boranabi | Saturday September 4, 2021 06:00
The First Instance Body (FIB), an organ under the Botswana Football Association (BFA) responsible for issuing club licenses, recently ruled that Notwane, Extension Gunners, Mahalapye Railway Highlanders, Gilport Lions and Mogoditshane Fighters had failed to meet requirements needed to attain a full club license.
The five, among other requirements, had failed to submit audited financial reports, failed to furnish players’ contracts and lack of requisite coaching qualifications and were given a three-day period until August 19, 2021, to appeal the decision.
Last Saturday (August 28, 2021) the committee met for the first time to review the appeals. It once again sat on Wednesday but a decision is yet to be made. This publication’s attempts to get a comment from the head of (Botswana Football Association) BFA Legal and Compliance, Pako Moakofhi were futile at press time as his mobile phone rang unanswered. A source has, however, told Mmegi Sport that the outcome has been delayed by a verification process. The official said a lot of ground is being covered to verify the facts on the submissions made by the clubs.
The committee will meet on Saturday and a decision is expected. “There is still a lot of background checks going on. The committee handling the appeals met on Saturday, as you may know, for the first time.
They also met on Wednesday, but they still have a lot to verify and they are still verifying the facts of the content the clubs have submitted in their appeals.
It seems to be a lot of work and could be concluded this Saturday (tomorrow). At the moment, clubs will have to wait for the final decision from the appeals committee,” a source said. A club license is a tool that enables a club to compete in the Premiership and without approval, clubs will not be allowed to participate.