Volleyball Problems Far From Over

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Correspondent | Monday March 8, 2010 00:00

On Saturday, games started about an hour late at BNPC courts due to unmarked courts. Teams had to wait while organisers marked the courts. At the same venue a men's game between Itekeng and Teletswana was called off because Teletswana did not pitch up. Interestingly, Teletswana had honoured an earlier fixture.

No explanation was then given for the absence of the team and the Botswana Volleyball Federation (BVF) Vice-President (technical) George Keotsene said action would be taken once the team has explained its absence.

There were allegations at the games that some Teletswana players had indicated that they were not interested in taking part in the league. There were allegations to the effect that because Teletswana is a Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) team, they want to frustrate the Mascom sponsorship. But Teletswana manager Shakes Mogami said later that they failed to honour the fixture because they were shorthanded as some of their players were injured in the first game, and they had to be taken to hospital. 

Mogami explained that there must have been a communication breakdown because he had asked the remaining players to communicate their problems to the organising committee.

He said he was also disappointed at the turn of events. 'I am really pained by what happened. I have always seen this coming and told my players to do the right thing to prove the rumours (about sabotaging Mascom) wrong,' Mogami said. Mogami also did not take kindly to reports that they did not inform the organisers. He acknowledged that there may have been a communication break down but said he informed the organisers about their problem when they called him to enquire about the team's absence.

Mogami blamed the organisers for being disorganised as their first game, which was also the first game of the day, started an hour later than the scheduled time.

'The courts were not marked in the morning when we got here, and we waited while it was being marked and never complained. Now why do they want to behave like we did not inform them of our problem?' Mogami said.

After Teletswana game was called off, Spiking Stars and Mafolofolo met in an interesting encounter. The youthful teams started on a high note showing no respect for each other.

Though Stars lost 0-3, they gave Mafolofolo a run for their monies, losing the first and second sets 21-25 and 19-25 respectively in a see-saw encounter. The third set was the most interesting and the closely contested and it was not easy to tell which team would eventually scoop it. Mafolofolo triumphed 28-26.

In other men's games in Gaborone, Kutlwano thrashed Itekeng 3-0, and Mafolofolo beat Kalavango 3-2. At Thebephatshwa BDF camp, Desert Kings beat Prisons 3-0. Other results were: Police 3, Victory Seekers 0; BDF 3, Prisons 0; Desert Kings 3, Victory Seekers 0; and BDF VI 3, Police 1. In Selebi-Phikwe Diphatsa edged Spartans 3-2.