BSSA makes U-turn on suspensions
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday April 15, 2023 06:00
BSSA president, Andrew Freeman wrote a letter suspending the swimmers in February.
According to a response from the BSSA executive committee to Mmegi Sport inquiry, the swimmers were not suspended. The committee explained that membership in BSSA is through clubs. “The swimmers' membership is disputed at the moment.
Until the matter is settled, they are not able to swim for Stingrays. They were offered to swim in the national championships under the disputing club, which they turned down. Transfer of individual swimmers between clubs is done by way of a release letter. The disputing club has not released the swimmers and the BSSA is obligated not to effect the transfer under these circumstances,” the report reads.
Regarding the absence of the swimmers from the national team, the BSSA explained that they selected a national team for one event only, which is CANA Zone IV in May.
Only one swimmer has been affected because they did not meet the criteria for selection. Mmegi Sport is informed that the club that raised the dispute, Stingrays, was approached to justify the claim of unpaid fees as the parent of the swimmers has information that Kubu had been paid by the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) and National Olympic Committee (BNOC), but the figures are not shown in the swimmers' invoices. “Yes, this has been brought to our attention.
The BSSA was copied the correspondence which confirms the fact that the parent owes the disputing club,” the report reads. The BSSA said it is unfortunate that the swimmers find themselves in a difficult position, which is not the making of the association.
“The BSSA has made every attempt to act in the best interest of the swimmers by making sure they can swim firstly under Kubu and alternatively, unattached to a club until the matter is resolved. Despite the issues, the swimmers have been selected for national teams and provided with clearance to swim at events while swimming unattached, which Stingrays has now not allowed them to do.
In fact, Stingrays boycotted the last BSSA league gala in Francistown before nationals,” BSSA said in the statement. The association said they find it unfortunate that Stingrays believe that the constitution of the BSSA does not apply to the three swimmers. The statement further explains that as a regulator, the BSSA needs to act in the interest of all clubs and swimmers. “In terms of our constitution, where a member of a club desires to change registration from one club to another, it shall be the duty of the latter club to advise the executive of the change and that the BSSA shall be entitled to refuse such application unless it is satisfied that the applicant has resigned from their former club and has discharged in full indebtedness to the former club.
This is the crux of the matter, and to date, it has not been demonstrated that the full indebtedness of the disputing club is discharged,” the statement reads. Contacted for comment, Kubu chairperson, Owen Caple said they would like to refrain from commenting at the moment. “This matter is still ongoing and we are working with the BSSA and the BNOC to resolve the claims by Gondo, in the best interest of all parties involved. We will gladly let you know the outcome as the information is made available,” Caple said.