Notwane charged with misconduct
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Monday June 22, 2015 12:22
On Friday, the Botswana Premier League (BPL) chief prosecutor, Tshiamo Rantao served the fallen giants of football to appear before the national disciplinary committee at a date yet to be confirmed.
The issue started when FC Satmos lodged a protest challenging the registration of Sankoyo Bush Bucks striker, Morris Rudzivo whom they successful argued was improperly registered.
The BPL disciplinary committee (DC) disagreed and Satmos took the case for appeal with the Botswana Football Association disciplinary committee. The latter ruled in favour of Satmos finding Rudzivo to have been not properly registered.
Satmos was award three points and two goals against Sankoyo. Sankoyo then lodged appeal with the Botswana National Sports Council Appeals Board, who upheld BFA DC ruling. BPL management committee then decided to dock Sankoyo 29points and thus eliminating the Maun outfit to First Division. It was not to be the end of the story.
BPL board convened and reversed management committee decision before the matter was referred to the higher body, BFA national executive committee, who reversed the BPL management committee decision and ordered replay between Satmos and Notwane. Toronto by then had taken the matter to the High Court, where they were unsuccessful as they were against Satmos.
The court route contravenes the BFA play rules and regulations as well the FIFA statues, hence the charge of misconduct.
In the case of Sankoyo, Rantao has advised that they cannot be said to be innocent in this matter. But since they have already had their points docked in the Satmos case, they cannot be punished twice for the same misconduct, he said. Rantao has also advised that no reasonable prospects of success exist in proceeding with the Sankoyo matter.
He asked the BPL to study and learn from the judgment of the National Appeals Board and recommended that all future transfer of players be processed only at the league secretariat.
He also recommended that the transfer be authorised by the chief executive officer and not be processed on urgency.
Meanwhile BPL CEO, Bennett Mamelodi has welcomed new comers, Miscellaneous, Green Lovers and Jwaneng Galaxy into the elite league. Miscellaneous and Galaxy entered top-flight football after winning the Debswana First Division North and South Leagues respectively. Green Lovers arrived after beating Mogoditshane Fighters in the promotional play-offs.