Name change sought for Constituency League

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Correspondent | Friday September 23, 2011 00:00

Through a media release, the ministry has appealed for suggestions of a new name. This follows a review workshop held at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve outside Gaborone last month.

MYSC representative, Emmanuel Otukile, denied that they were bowing to public pressure, saying they are only taking into consideration stakeholders' suggestions. He agreed that there is much controversy surrounding the league and stakeholders felt the name could be the problem. Stakeholders at the workshop suggested that the name was political.

Otukile said because it was the public that had a problem with the name they want them to come up with a title that they would identify themselves with. 'The change of the name is also meant to re-brand the competition,'Otukile said. However, he would not say whether other suggestions made at the Mokolodi meeting would be implemented. They suggested the league should not only be about playing matches but also instead incorporate life skills courses.  At the centre of the discussion at the meeting was financial reward of the league that stakeholders felt has overshadowed the main objective of the tournament. The financial incentives are cited as the main reasons why established players often leave for the Constituency tournament, which is President Ian Khama's brainchild. Since it started in 2008, it has caused uproar in the affected sport codes that felt it was pulling players from their mainstream leagues because of its lucrative financial rewards.