FIFA mess a molehill mountain

Mmegi Editor | Monday June 23, 2014 16:13

According to FIFA’s statutes, all leagues and football groups in member states must be subordinate to and recognised by the official association, which here is the Botswana Football Association (BFA).

As the matter simmered over six years and as the Constituency League grew to about 68, 000 participants countrywide, local authorities may have developed a sense of having “gotten away with it” or even “invincibility”.

Today, the League remains outside the BFA’s regulatory scope even with evidence that it frequently overlaps with the formal leagues in terms of talent spotting and player movements.

As slow as the wheels turn in Zurich, the anomaly has come full circle and FIFA now wants Botswana to comply before September 22 or face, initially, suspension from all FIFA competitions and eventually, expulsion.

Such expulsion would render the beloved national football team, the Zebras, technically irrelevant, as it would not have the benefit of participation in competitive tournaments regionally or internationally.

Sponsors, who have slowly come around to the idea of supporting the Zebras financially, would slink back into their former obscurity while outraged football fans would initially erupt in indignation, before shifting their allegiances to local and international teams.

The spirit of patriotism and togetherness built up by a passion for the Zebras would be replaced by ill-will and bitterness directed at football administrators and political decision-makers.

None of this has to happen however, and the window for relief is open until September 22.

It is important at this point to note that much-maligned as government and the President are in this narrative, there is some logic in their position over the past six years.

Almost entirely, the BFA is funded by government through the Botswana National Sport Council, using taxpayer funds and yet, according to FIFA’s statutes, the State must keep its fingers out of the BFA’s affairs.

The issue is the difference between “interference” and “intervention” where FIFA interprets any involvement by governments in football matters as the former. Logically, Batswana have a right to know how and where the BFA is using their tax monies, but government has to be hands-off or risk expulsion.

Similarly, as noble as the Constituency League is, its existence threatens and competes with the sacrosanct status granted to the BFA by FIFA.

Ultimately, however, government has no choice but to play ball and regularise the Constituency League for the sake of the greater good. The only other option is to disband the League and throw 68, 000 souls into the wind.

Today’s thought

 

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and

intelligence win championships.”

 

 - Michael Jordan