BFA moves to declare season complete
Mqondisi Dube | Friday June 12, 2020 11:09
The Botswana Football Association (BFA) acting on the recommendations of a medical committee will not restart the season. However, a source said the season would be declared complete, handing Jwaneng Galaxy their first title, while TAFIC, Miscellaneous and Molepolole City Stars face relegation.
Masitaoka and Sua Flamingoes would be promoted to the elite league, while Mogoditshane Fighters and Nico United are expected to feature in the play-offs to decide the third team to be promoted. Football activities were halted in March due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that posed a life threat. Hopes of the league resuming were dashed after the medical committee indicated it would cost more than P300 million to return to action.
And the source said the BFA National Executive Committee (NEC) would not consider the option of declaring the season null and void, after a third of the campaign was played.
At the time of the suspension of football activities, the BTC Premiership was left with 10 rounds to conclude, while only four match days were outstanding for First Division sides.
“There is a feeling that two-thirds is a sizable number of games to declare the season null and void. It was going to be unfair to declare the season null and void, when more than half of the games had been completed,” a source said.
It is unclear what would happen to the Orange FA Cup, which was at the quarterfinal stage. Clubs had been asked for their input on their preferred choice of proceeding with the season.
The BFA requested clubs to choose amongst three options, being, to declare it null and void, declare the season complete using the current standings, or finish the campaign.
The third option was ruled out after the medical committee’s report indicated that it would cost more than P2.4 million to stage a match, due to testing and disinfection costs. BFA chief executive officer, Mfolo Mfolo told Mmegi Sport, the clubs’ responses remained confidential and a decision on the fate of the season would be made within a fortnight.
It is expected that BFA’s anticipated decision to declare the season complete, would attract a backlash, particularly from title chasing teams and those in the relegation spots. In the BTC Premiership, the gap at the top was just one point over Orapa United and Township Rollers.