Why Tariq's nomination has been met with surprise

Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday April 21, 2026 09:54

There were mixed reactions, particularly on social media, with some expressing shock at the nomination. Football is the country's most popular sport due to mass participation.

Every corner of the country or every street, there are boys or girls kicking a ball, therefore it is a sport that has persistently been in the public eye. Its administration is among the most scrutinised.

There is so much maladministration across the other 38 BNSC affiliates but they have largely escaped the eagle eye due to their minority status. The football association president's seat, therefore is a hot one. Babitseng and other before and after him, will have to live with that fact.

Back to the topic of the day, the surprises at Babitseng's nomination, justified or not, should be a wake up call to those in the corridors of power at Lekidi Centre.

Why should people be surprised when you are associated with excellence? The shock that greeted the nomination, should therefore, not be dismissed at face value.

It is easy to ignore the reactions and attribute them to people who are clueless about the awards process, or who belong to a bitter camp opposed to the administration at BFA. That sounds like an easy and simplistic route to take. But it is dangerous. The shocks and surprises should provide Babitseng and co. an opportunity of reflection.

When one is nominated for an award, it is often greeted with 'well deserved.' However, if it attracts the opposite reaction, take time and listen.

Take stock, it might be a strong message that something, somewhere does not align with the expectations of those who saw a messiah when the current administration swept into power in 2024. Clearly the honeymoon phase is long over.

Now on to the reaction of those who can be dismissed as ignorant about the BNSC awards process. Yes, a lot needs to be done to inform the public about what goes into picking the nominees.

For starters, the administrators have to apply (something I am not too sure is the best). Apparently it is the BNSC affiliates that requested this weird arrangement, for purposes of fairness.

But would it not have been more appropriate for BNSC to track its own affiliates on governance and compliance issue and award the deserving candidate? That way, one feels the weight and value of the award as the BNSC would have recognised them instead of the 'I do hereby apply' route.

Again, the BNSC awards are not a popularity contest but there are certain weights that are used, for instance if grassroots programs are met, the upskilling of administrators, coaches etc.

It is not about how many medals one brought from international competitions, but purely about governance and compliance. I wish BNSC could explain this much more clearer, to avoid the uhs and ohs when the likes of Tariq are nominated.