BFA affiliates must refuse to be bought
Dennis Keagile | Friday May 20, 2016 14:40
Others do it for principled reasons while others are simply opportunists who are taking advantage of the situation. What is clear though is that grassroot development has not been given prominence by the Sebego led administration. That however is not my main gripe; my major concern is that football is getting more and more polarised along factional lines.
Under Sebego’s presidency, things have gone from bad to worse as far as factionalism is concerned. This perhaps is one thing Sebego ought to look at and correct should he get re-elected. In the past, I have decried and I still say I detest the method of voting as affiliates have allowed themselves to be bought and be used hence football is perpetually in a state of coma or going round in a vicious circle.
I know that I am a lone voice or reason with regard to the methods affiliates use. Since the advent of block voting, which in years gone by has never been the case, football has never known peace and we are paying a big price for that.
In football, we believe in the principle of fair play hence retaliation is not allowed not only in football but sports in general. I therefore prefer the old practice or way of doing things where people were being approached by virtue of their credentials to serve in the administration of sport. It was not like now where every opportunist can come forward and claim otherwise. Block voting has time and again deprived football of the best brains or personnel.
As a result, football has always been the loser. It is therefore time for affiliates to take stock of themselves, to rid themselves of this stereotype of thinking or belief. If this type of system is working in politics, it is definitely not working for Botswana football or sport.
We do not have a large pool of sports administrators to choose from hence even people with dubious credentials find their way into the game’s administration.
It is time to put a stop to this. Since the emergence of block voting, football has never known peace because those who go into office are always paranoid of those who were opposing them for every difference of opinion is always viewed as an attack or sabotage. Those who do not win do not always support those who win. Football also needs a person who can rise above factional lines, someone who can unite all for the good of the game.
The other toxic element in this conundrum is the media. Yes, we cannot all see things the same way but the stock in trade for the media is objectivity and professionalism. The moment the media personnel gets enticed with some freebies, professionalism and in the process objectivity is compromised. The love for money and celebrity status is one element the media ought to watch and guard against.
The recent Gilport Lions and Township Rollers case showed us the different facades of the media. Some of the media houses I must say confused the readers and listeners.
It is no secret that as a nation we generally lack a pool of people who can be good leaders and football is no exception. The game therefore suffers a great deal when the little brains that are there get stretched to the limit and because of block voting, some people who are not fit enough to serve in the administration of football get squeezed in much to the detriment of the interests of the game.
So instead of those campaigning for office to dictate terms, it is the affiliates that ought to dictate terms. Anyone who doles out gifts instead of ideas is not good enough. Ideas and not the ability to dole out gifts should be the main criteria used. What happened at the world football governing body, FIFA, should not be allowed to take place here.
My advice therefore to the affiliates is that do not be bought or sell your souls. Stay true to the principles of Fair Play and sportsmanship.
beMOBILE
Hopefully, the circus that has gripped football for the past months will officially come to an end but a lot still needs to be done. For now, we await the outcome of the appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland on whether Ofentse Nato was properly registered or not.
But that as it may be, there is need to divorce amateur football from professional football. Combining the two is a recipe for disaster. Affiliates ought to deliberate on this for the good of football.