BFA offered licence to thrill

Mqondisi Dube | Friday February 5, 2016 14:05

 

It might not necessarily be a magic bullet but the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) move to introduce club licensing is expected to breath life into the local game, which is prone to sliding into a self-induced coma.

A 2008 White Paper meant to drive football towards a professional set-up has met with limited success and the latest CAF development has been hailed as a step in the right direction.

The Bosele Declaration, offered the BFA with a perfect, direct route to goal, but that was fluffed. Now CAF has laid a glorious opportunity and BFA cannot afford to scuff the chance.

The BFA chief executive officer, Kitso Kemoeng argues the 2008 Bosele Declaration has been “over romanticised” and it’s now time to walk the talk. There are not too many options or choices with the CAF blue print.

CAF issued a directive to national associations over club licensing and locally, clubs should comply by the start of the next season, there is no other option unlike the Bosele Declaration. The new development will see the BFA granted a licence, as the licensor to regulate clubs (licensee).

The BFA can only issue a licence to complying clubs, which have been given a set of requirements to fulfill before they could be given the green light.  It has left local officials purring with Kemoeng saying there is need to raise the bar and believes the CAF requirements are key to the future of football and its development. The local league is littered with depressing stories of clubs failing to constantly shell players’ dues or even failing to raise funds for travel. But Kemoeng, and other leading football figures, believe the light has arrived with the club licensing.

“Our football needs to transform if we genuinely want to create employment. Societies cannot sustain professionalism. We have to transform. I hope club licensing will bring drastic changes if it is strictly applied.

“Why there is laissez-faire attitude is that conditions are not met. Club licensing will enforce this as those that do not meet requirements will not be considered. The time to treat football as a social past time is gone, we need money to come into football,” Kemoeng said.

Among others, clubs are expected to have offices, full time administrators, contracts with landlords, and Kemoeng said there is no retreat.

“If we don’t comply (with CAF requirements) we will be locked out. It’s a directive from CAF. We have been romantic about the Bosele Declaration, but now it is time to move. We have to up the bar,” Kemoeng said. Failure to comply will see clubs expelled from local leagues and subsequently barred from taking part in CAF competitions. 

Clubs face a furious race against time as the new initiatives kick-in at the beginning of next season.

Local clubs have a well documented history with poor finances and will need to shift gears to meet the stringent requirements.

As BFA begins an ardous journey towards transformation, local leaders will look back at an opportunity lost. Botswana could have enforced the Bosele Declaration the same way CAF has put its foot down on club licensing and local football could have made the long strides eight years back.