Rollers, GU rivalry spills into boardroom
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Monday August 1, 2022 16:00
The latter have reportedly lodged a formal complaint to the Botswana Football Association (BFA) accusing Rollers of inviting ‘their’ player to train with them. The player, Omphile Phale, according to the national champions trained with Rollers for two days last week.
“It has come to the attention of our club that contrary to Article 22.2.1 of the Botswana Football Association Play Rules and Regulations, Township Rollers caused and allowed our player, Omphile Phale to train with them for period 21st of July to the 23rd of July at Royal Aria Stadium in Tlokweng,” GU said in the letter addressed to the BFA chief executive officer (CEO), Mfolo Mfolo.
The club says the player falls within the rubric of amateur player as contemplated by article 22.1.1 of the Play Rules and Regulations. GU also said their city rivals’ decision to invite the player to a training session is a covert transgression of article 22.2, which states that a club that wishes to acquire the services of a player from another club shall inform the club with whom the player is registered, prior to approaching the player.
“Images and photographs of the player engaged in a training session with Rollers were captured and uploaded on the club’s official social media platforms amongst them being Facebook platform, as per the attached printed copies for the sake of completeness.
In any event, the player has confessed the same,” the club stated in the letter. Speaking to Sport Monitor yesterday, Mfolo said at the time of going to press, the letter had not yet officially reached his desk. The rivalry between the two sides grew bigger last season as they battled for league title before GU ran away with it in the last few matches.