TAFIC Fights Against Relegation
Chakalisa Dube | Monday August 31, 2020 11:51
Sport Monitor has established that the heads of argument from the association were routed to the BFA’s arbitration tribunal on Friday. BFA spokesperson, Tumo Mpatane confirmed on Saturday that the association has submitted its heads of argument. “I can confirm that the association has filed its heads of argument in accordance with the instruction of the arbitration tribunal,” Mpatane said in an interview yesterday.
TAFIC will reportedly submit its heads of argument today. The club had requested additional information from the BFA in a bid to fine-tune its heads of argument.
Mpatane said that the tribunal would meet soon to decide on the date on which the case will be heard. The progress of the TAFIC case was also stalled by the recently ended Gaborone lockdown initiated to lessen the spread of COVID-19. In March BFA took a decision to end the 2019/20 season arguing that it would be costly for teams to play in line with guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The decision to end the season abruptly led to TAFIC, Miscellaneous and Molepolole City Stars being relegated. Jwaneng Galaxy was declared champion. TAFIC and City Stars have vowed to strongly fight the decision to send them to the First Division while Miscellaneous accepted its fate.
Tumo said that he was not aware of the status of City’s appeal. A week ago City chairperson, Sommerset Gobuiwang told Sport Monitor that he also intended to approach the arbitration tribunal. Gobuiwang was not available for comment yesterday.
TAFIC have reportedly enlisted the services of attorney Tshekiso Tshekiso of Tshekiso Ditiro and Jani legal Practice in a bid to strengthen their fight against relegation.
Tshekiso is one of Francistown’s most trusted legal brains. Yesterday TAFIC chairperson Carlos Sebina said that he could not comment on speculation that the club has appointed Tshekiso as its legal representative in the relegation case against the BFA.
Initially TAFIC engaged a Gaborone-based law firm (name known to this publication). Meanwhile Tshekiso’s mobile number was not available at the time of going to press, but several sources have confirmed that he has been appointed by TAFIC to lead the relegation appeal.