Football’s long walk to professionalism
Mqondisi Dube | Saturday September 17, 2022 06:00
Five clubs’ future in the Premier League hangs in the balance after they failed to meet Club Licensing requirements. Popular Lobatse side, Extension Gunners leads a group that has Eleven Angels, Morupule Wanderers, Mogoditshane Fighters and Masitaoka, in the predicament. The quintet was recently shown the red card after initially failing at the First Instance Body (FIB) before their appeals were thrown out. The FIB is the body responsible for licensing clubs.
Club Licensing is a relatively new introduction in Africa and Botswana adopted it as part of widespread reforms in the game.
The development is meant to ensure the efficient running of clubs in a more professional set-up. CAF Club Licensing regulations were developed in 2012 and introduced in Botswana four years later.
However, the implementation has been incremental until as recent as 2020 when the Maclean Letshwiti-led Botswana Football Association (BFA) upped the ante. It has been a period of soft implementation, allowing clubs to adjust rather than have an abrupt culture shock.
In 2017, CAF became stricter with sides participating in inter-club competitions, with requirements made mandatory. Club Licensing has been hailed as a positive step towards empowering clubs, which ensures they are fully-fledged with the necessary facilities like an office and the right personnel. Clubs are expected to have contracts with their players, have offices and provide audited financial statements, among others.
Botswana sides have constantly struggled to pay players and with Club Licensing, financial fair play comes into play, ensuring entities spend within their means. Attempts to accelerate the introduction of Club Licensing in Botswana have led to undesired consequences. Before the start of last season, five clubs were again chopped for failing to comply with the requirements. Notwane, Gunners, Fighters, Gilport Lions, and Mahalapye Highlanders were the culprits. This season has also seen five clubs deemed unprepared to take part in the Premier League. Curiously, Gunners and Fighters are the two denominators; making the list from the two seasons’ chopped list.
The expulsion of the clubs points to a road fraught with challenges. In the past season, clubs were allowed to participate after being granted provisional licenses, as Letshwiti, at the time, indicated the BFA will hand hold sides as the system was gradually introduced. After a decision to expel the five clubs this season, the BFA had to step in and ask that the sides be given a grace period to ‘put their house in order’.
“The Emergency Committee resolves that the BFA, in the exercise of its powers under Article 9 of the Club Licensing Regulations extend the club licensing application submission deadline to Masitaoka, Morupule Wanderers, Mogoditshane Fighters, Eleven Angels and Gunners. “The extension is for a period of five days from September 14 to 20, 2022 at 5pm,” the BFA said in a statement this week. The FIB will now reconvene and adjudicate on the individual cases and if clubs are aggrieved, they will appeal to the Appeals Body. The BFA said if there are any appeals, the decision shall be delivered by September 29. However, there are reports the FIB was not amused by the BFA National Executive Committee’s decision to order a re-run of the process.