Regions present headaches for BFA
Larona Makhaiza | Saturday July 2, 2022 06:00
This comes after the Gantsi Region Football Association (GRFA) was suspended following the improper registration of players. The Tswapong Region Football Association (TRFA) playoffs also faced challenges.
Mfolo said the TRFA had decided to create two streams for the play-offs, an initiative meant to cushion the clubs from travel expenses. "The TRFA adopted this initiative and executed it as they created the two streams and the streams were divided looking at the logistics issues as clubs in Palapye and the periphery made one stream and clubs from the Greater Tswapong Area made another stream," he said.
"The initiative brought up by the TRFA was a good initiative but the association was at fault because they did not inform the National Executive Committee of the changes they had put in place making them guilty.
The NEC asked TRFA to ratify the 'streams' decision and let the playoffs go on,” Mfolo said. GRFA found themselves on the wrong side of the law, after violating the play rules and regulations. "The GRFA at their summit that was held back on May 14 decided that teams could go ahead and play their games with unregistered players," Mfolo said.
"This goes to prove that the GRFA had ignored both the BFA and the FIFA regulations of players as both bodies only recognise clubs with registered players and that’s the reason why there are social clubs for players who are not registered, popularly called 'Sunday Soccer'.
The NEC has found the GRFA guilty and suspended the regional association committee and also at the same time sanctioned all the clubs that used unregistered players in the regional playoffs," Mfolo said.
The regional playoffs games are set to continue this weekend in Gaborone, with the final leg of the playoffs scheduled to take place in the Northern block. In other news, Mfolo confirmed that Notwane's complaint against Extension Gunners had been placed before the relevant bodies and said, therefore, he could not comment further.
Gunners were reportedly not supposed to make any signings in three transfer windows after a FIFA ban over unpaid dues to a former player. Meanwhile, the BFA is in talks with CAF for rights to air the Mares' Women's Africa Cup of Nations finals matches.