BPL plays down complaints over Palapye Ground

Leornard Matota | Wednesday March 12, 2014 12:30

 

The facility, which has no terraces or ablution is the home ground of be MOBILE Premier League sides, Miscellaneous and Motlakase.

Last weekend, the game between Motlakase and Mochudi Centre Chiefs was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at the facility.

In January, the ECCO-Motlakase game at the ground suffered the same fate due to heavy rains.

However, despite the losses that clubs incur in preparation for the postponed games, the Botswana Premier League does not compensate them. Chiefs’ spokesperson, Clifford Mogomotsi has said preparations for the cancelled game cost them P17,000. “It is money gone down the drain,” he said.

However, Mamelodi played down the complaints saying there is no cause for alarm.

He pointed out that the cancellation of games due to bad weather is normal and happens in other parts of the world.  “The fact of the matter is that the same reason that made us come to the decision to fixture games in Palapye still exist, teams in that area are suffering.  We are however aware that the ground itself has its own shortcomings which are beyond water drainage, and we will consider those shortcomings as the season nears conclusion,” he explained.

The absence of terraces means that fans have to stand while lack of ablutions has forced players to change in team buses. Fans, players and officials relieve themselves in the open because the ground has no toilets. The ground has no perimeter wall.