First Division migrates to electronic registration
Bonte Seepi | Thursday July 16, 2015 14:08
The system, which has been used in the Premier League, is being introduced to First Division teams.
All along, First Division teams have been using manual registration whereby players used their blue books to register.
According to First Division North (FDN) chairman, Eatametse Olopeng only teams from the north division are ready to implement the system after an induction workshop held in Francistown recently. Olopeng, who is also a member of the BFA national executive committee, said it would be the first time the teams use the new system. He said they are getting rid of the manual registration system, as the new system is a FIFA requirement.
Olopeng said, “Teams will be given until end of the first round to follow all the processes, but they will also be using players’ blue books. “By the beginning of the second round, no team will be allowed to register players using the current players’ registration book”.
He said although the new system is expensive, especially for First Division teams, it would improve the standard of football.
He said the system requires teams to take their players for medical checkups, which is costly unless if it is done at government hospitals.
He said the new system takes care of situations like use of defaulter players, saying since the introduction of electronic registration the cases of defaulters have reduced in the Premier League.
“The system will make us grow as the First Division. It will make teams to be more professional.
“Although it is expensive, there is no way we can say we want to stick to the old system because the new system must be used by all FIFA affiliates,” Olopeng stated.
Meanwhile, he revealed that clubs that participated at the workshop have welcomed the system. He said they are very happy with the initiative, as they believe it is a sign that First Division football is growing. He said BFA intends to roll the system out in the near future. He said he previously resisted the system, as he believed teams and members were not empowered. By then, clubs had not been workshopped about the system. He also stated that the workshop should be held again with First Division South teams.
According to Olopeng, in the mean time clubs will be registering at the BFA main office in Gaborone.
However, he said as the First Division leadership they are still looking for an office, which they believe, would help teams in many aspects.