Motlakase react angrily over match fixing claims
Boniface Keakabetse | Friday April 1, 2016 15:42
Motlakase recently acquired a loan from Shah as several Premiership sides find themselves in financial despair at a crucial stage of the season.
A meeting of the 16 Premiership clubs sought answers recently from the Botswana Premier League (BPL) on how they are expected to run without anything in their coffers.
With the BPL also in financial crisis, several suggestions were made including a task force being set up to try and source loans from different entities and individuals to assist clubs.
Other clubs including Motlakase managed to source loans as the battle for survival in the Premier League intensified.
However, the issue seems to have not gone down well with several football pundits who believe the arrangement amounts to “match fixing”.
Their arguments are based on the fact that Shah is an investor at Township Rollers, which happens to be in competition with the very clubs which sourced loans from him.
But Motlakase secretary, Molefe Modise said people are trying to read too much into nothing.
He said as a struggling club without sponsors, they had always sought assistance for either a donation or loans from different companies, individuals and even Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), which used to fund the club.
“I do not know why suddenly there should be a problem with us trying to look for funds for ourselves. We have always done that with different businesses and individuals.
Even before Premier League clubs received grants from the BPL, we were still asking for financial assistance from different people,” he said.
He said they have beaten Rollers and other big teams before and therefore do not expect people to think by asking for a loan from Shah amounts to match-fixing. Motlakase sit in position 14 with 20 points from 25 games. Green Lovers, who also sourced a loan from Shah, declined to comment.
Chairperson, Solomon Ramochotlhane said for now they cannot say anything as the issue was discussed at the BPL board level.
The BPL rookies have also had their fair share of financial challenges, which saw them lose some of their key players including Moathodi Ralesotla in the middle of the season.
Despite a bright start to the season, they struggled towards the middle and find themselves in a precarious situation as the season nears an end.
Sankoyo Bush Bucks, another club that benefitted from Shah’s loan, were locked in a meeting over the issue yesterday and therefore could not comment pending the outcome of their deliberations.