Constituency tournaments: The unanswered questions

| Friday September 17, 2010 00:00

 

Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture, Shaw Kgathi, was confidence personified when he addressed a media conference this week to clear the air on the controversy surrounding the constituency tournament and threats of suspension from FIFA. The Botswana Football Association (BFA) had been cornered, literally caught with its pants down. The nation was told that BFA had deliberately lied about a pending FIFA suspension as a result of the constituency tournaments.

Poor Boyce Sebetela, who is less than two months into his post as BFA vice president (administration), was dragged to the media conference to face scribes on the prowl.

His role was seemingly to nod his head in approval to whatever Kgathi delivered to the media.

In what can be described as a complete twist, BFA was made to eat humble pie. This was in sharp contrast to the thudding speeches delivered by BFA president, David Fani, at numerous forums, denouncing the constituency tournaments.

Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe has made it an irritating habit to launch verbal tirades against the West each time he takes to the podium. In equal measure, it had become Fani's trademark to dedicate a few lines in his speeches to express the association's distaste for the constituency tournaments.

His wish is to see the tournaments run under the auspices of the BFA, as they are a distraction and stole players from the mainstream leagues.

Fani and the BFA's campaign against the constituency tournaments gathered pace after an alleged threat from FIFA. Armed with the FIFA 'ammunition', BFA won the sympathy of the public. The common concern was that the Zebras, so gallant in their campaign for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, might be involved in a dead rubber if there is a FIFA ban. Disapproving voices could be heard from all corners of the country, with President Ian Khama the subject of scorn as the constituency tournaments are his initiative.

Social networking sites like Facebook were dominated by the constituency tournaments' discussions. Most contributors are optimistic about the Zebras' chances of qualifying but they argue that the constituency 'league' stood in the way of a maiden AFCON appearance.

While the BFA is consistent in expressing its reservations about the tournaments, Kgathi was equally persistent in defending Khama's initiative.

In an interview with the privately-run radio station, Yarona FM, Khama slammed FIFA for 'threatening to ban the country'. He argued that the government has a duty to develop sports and rhetorically asked why the state's funding of BFA is not regarded as political interference.

With the said FIFA deadline for sanctions against Botswana approaching, Kgathi addressed a media conference in Gaborone on Tuesday. He told journalists that BFA had misled the nation and acknowledged its error but certain questions remain unanswered.

The issue of constituency tournaments was raised in 2008, and it remains unclear why the government took close to two years to clarify that the competition does not violate FIFA statutes. BFA has suddenly conceded that it lied and apologised to the government. It is a mystery why the BFA sustained a campaign based on lies and deceit.

Kgathi declared that the case is closed. The government will not take punitive measures against individuals who led what can be termed a smear campaign against the nation.

Why should the government be so benevolent when its name has literally been dragged in the mud? When did the government realise that BFA is lying to the nation? 'It is up to you, the journalists to speculate,' Kgathi told Mmegi Sport.

Sebetela did not offer any explanations either.  BFA communications officer, Phakamile Kraai and former chief executive officer, Tosh Kgotlele, have decided to remain mum despite being at the centre of controversial correspondence with FIFA. How does the association delegate a junior officer to write to FIFA on such a sensitive subject? Why didn't the BFA top dogs check the letter before it was dispatched to Zurich?

When Khama spoke on Yarona FM, was he not aware that the FIFA threats were nothing but a creation of the BFA?Everything looked suspiciously stage-managed when the government emerged from the media conference 'the victors' while BFA were shamed.

It is still difficult to believe that Fani, who is a lawyer by profession, could stand in front of hundreds of general assembly delegates, and lie about a pending FIFA suspension. Did he misread the letter from FIFA or did he choose to deliberately misinform the nation?

As a former Australian cricket umpire warned:  'When you stretch the truth, watch out for the snapback'.