Tshekiso was speaking at the FUB congress held on Saturday in Gaborone. He said players hold the key to everything and they should not be the reason why they are treated badly by their clubs. “The reason why you are treated the way you are treated is because you have allowed it. You should stand in solidarity as players, whether you are currently at a club that pays you well and on time. The only reason why you are still at that particular club is because they have not found a replacement for you as yet. They will eventually do and you will find yourself facing the same problems faced by other players when you join other teams,” he said.
Tshekiso also said it is disappointing that even up to now, they still see some teams that promise players payments and then fail to meet the obligations. He also advised the Botswana Football Association (BFA) to take into consideration the way the First Instance Body (FIB) issues licenses to clubs. He said the FIB should sit and make decisions about club licensing after all the cases involving players and their employers have been adjudicated by the National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC). He said in such cases, the FIB will not give clubs licenses that clubs do not qualify for. Meanwhile, the BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti, said they are happy that at the association, they have always engaged with the FUB on matters relating to players’ welfare. He said both the BFA and the union have applied to FIFA for the recognition of the new NDRC, making Botswana one of the three countries to achieve this feat.
He stated that through the establishment of a more functional chamber, the local game will become truly professional. “In 2019, the FUB signed a landmark cooperation agreement with the BFA to enable greater collaboration and cooperation to improve working conditions for players across the leagues. I am delighted to inform you that this week, the BFA renewed its Collective Bargaining agreement with the FUB, which gave birth to two important documents; a standard contract for national team players and agreed code of conduct. We are getting there,” he said. Letshwiti said despite the availability of the standard contract, teams and individuals decide to enter into their own contracts, which is a problem when there are instruments in place. He said no contract should ever be accepted at the association if it has not been prescribed by the BFA.
