First Division North suspended over sponsorship
Chakalisa Dube | Thursday October 16, 2014 14:33
The league was suspended indefinitely last week because clubs could not afford their fixtures as Debswana who are the main sponsors are yet to release money for the league sponsorship. “We have been in daily contact with Debswana officials. They have a procedure in which they pay their suppliers. The procedure has delayed payment of the sponsorship money but I am hopeful that the money will be paid soon to the BFA before goingto clubs,” he said.
“We were feeling the pressure from teams and referees who said that they could not
afford to fund fixtures which is why we suspended the league,”
Olopeng said that if the problem persists they would call the clubs to see what can be done to sort out the situation. First Division clubs in the north this week complained that the constant stopping of their league disturbed their playing momentum. In an interview this week Green Lovers chairman, Onthusitse Kootswele, complained that the postponement has disturbed their club’s momentum.
“We also owe those who have been assisting us with logistics to fund our league campaign whilst awaiting money from our sponsors. Those who we owe are also getting impatient with us. That is why we need the money on a very urgent basis,” he told Mmegi sports yesterday.
He said that failure to source sponsorship money early also showed poor planning by those mandated to run the league.
TAFIC spokesperson Gilbert Makombo also said he wished the sponsorship money will be credited to the club’s bank accounts soon so that they refund those who have been assisting the club to honour its last five fixtures.
He said that what is more worrying is that the money is also used, among other things, to pay players’ salaries. He stated that delaying the sponsorship money has the potential to bring down the morale of the players as they will not be remunerated.
It was the second time the league was suspended this season.
In the first instance, at the start of the season, those responsible for its resumption said that clubs were not ready to start playing. Debswana Diamond Company and the Botswana Football Association (BFA) launched a P6 million sponsorship of the First Division League early last year after years without funding.