Tournaments' deal deadlocked
Mqondisi Dube | Thursday July 24, 2014 10:48
FIFA has threatened to punish Botswana if the tournaments that are established and run by government, contrary to football rules and regulations, do not come under the BFA by September 22. Under the proposed arrangement, the tournaments would have been run by the BFA while government was to fork out the P7 million-plus per season needed to finance them. Minister Seretse was expected to okay the arrangement, but he dismissed the proposal shattering hopes of an early solution.
Meanwhile, BNSC president Solly Reikeletseng declined to talk about what they were supposed to present to Seretse.
Speaking before the two parties met yesterday Reikeletseng said; “We will present a report to the (acting) Minister (of Youth, Sports and Culture, Vincent Seretse). The matter is on top of the minister’s agenda. We (BNSC) and BFA will meet him and see how the issue is handled going forward.
The minister is extremely open to suggestions and wants to be guided by the two parties,” Reikeletseng said. He explained that Seretse wants the matter concluded well before the September 22 deadline. “It is up to us to provide solutions as sports leaders. This can be sorted out painlessly. The good thing is that we have a willing government,” he said.
He stated that he was widely quoted out of context when he addressed the media over the constituency tournaments recently. At the time, he condemned politicians for seeking to use the FIFA ultimatum as a campaign tool. “My statements were misunderstood to be directed at one side. My point was simple. This is a sports issue and sports people have a solution to the matter. Constituency tournaments are not about football but other codes as well,” he said.
He said the issue should unite, instead of divide the people. “It cannot be used to break us. Government is a strategic partner with 90 percent of our funding coming from the state. We are not ready to pick a fight with the government over a sports issue.”
After the FIFA ultimatum, Reiketseleng’s friend and former Sports Minister, Shaw Kgathi, accused Chillyboy Rakgare of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) of reporting the country to FIFA for running constituency tournaments outside football structures. The dispute took another twist when the Botswana National Party (BNF) jumped into the fray, claiming it was in fact responsible for reporting the matter.