Alcohol returns to stadiums
Mqondisi Dube | Friday July 19, 2019 12:42
This will be the second encounter where alcohol has been served after it was banned several years back.
The BFA allowed the sale of alcohol during last month’s Orange FA Cup encounter, as a way of enticing supporters to the stadium.
BFA marketing and public relations officer, Tumo Mpatane said they had made a request to the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC), as the custodian of the stadium, to sell alcohol during the FA Cup last month.
“Permission was granted and we then engaged Kgalagadi Breweries, who in turn engaged a dealer to sell.
“It is important to note that during the FA Cup we gave KBL strict instructions to follow FIFA standards and use plastic containers and we had a security plan delivered to the BNSC as well as increased security at sale points and in the stands,” Mpatane said.
He said they were happy with the way the crowd behaved, with no major incidences reported.
The BFA has now submitted a similar request to the BNSC for the weekend CHAN encounter against Chipolopolo.
“We will have tight security and a good management plan,” Mpatane promised.
While alcohol is sold at matches under the BFA, its organ, the Botswana Premier League (BPL) is not aware of the new arrangement, but keen to follow suit.
“I am not aware if the BFA has introduced alcohol at stadiums, but if they have, and have been permitted to do so, we will definitely jump on the bandwagon,” BPL chief executive officer, Thabo Ntshinogang said. Fans would be excited that alcohol would be sold during matches, as some argued there was not enough, other than football, to draw them to stadiums.