COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup cancelled

Mqondisi Dube | Friday July 18, 2014 12:20

Botswana Football Association (BFA), Tebogo Sebego told Mmegi Sport yesterday that COSAFA will soon release a statement to make the announcement. “(The) COSAFA (Senior Challenge)is off. They are to issue a statement to that effect. They could not get a lead sponsor. They need a sponsor to cover the teams’ travel expenses, allowances, therefore the unavailability of a sponsor made it difficult for the tournament to go ahead. I think the best thing is to call Sue Destombes (COSAFA official) and take it from there. I am not the one to make that announcement,” Sebego said.

SABMiller, through its Castle Lager brand, has bankrolled the tournament over the years, but pulled out of this year’s edition saying it had been informed late. COSAFA then unsuccessfully tried to rope in another sponsor. When it was apparent the search was in vain, COSAFA called off the tournament, which has been held intermittently in the last six years.

BFA chief executive officer, Keith Masters said the development is disappointing. “COSAFA has cancelled the tournament because they can’t source a sponsor, which is very disappointing,” he said.

COSAFA chief operations officer, Sue Destombes was vague in response to Mmegi Sport’s questionnaire. “Botswana will definitely be offered another opportunity to host - we await the BFA’s confirmation in due course,” Destombes said.

This was going to be Botswana’s first crack at hosting a senior team soccer competition after staging the CAF Under-17 Championships in 1997 and the COSAFA Under-20 tournament in 2011.

The region’s soccer body has struggled to attract sponsors outside economic giant, South Africa. Metropolitan withdrew financing the Under-20 competition in 2011 and COSAFA is still struggling to attract a title sponsor.  The absence of the Senior Challenge Cup would reduce Zebras coach, Peter Butler’s assignments to two. Besides the ongoing AFCON qualifiers, he will attempt to guide the team to the Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) next year.