Rollers not off the hook

Onkarabile Ratanang PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE
Onkarabile Ratanang PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE

With the Botswana Premier League (BPL) season coming to a close last weekend, there is an unclosed chapter as Township Rollers’ case on the improper registration of Onkarabile Ratanang is still pending. It has taken more than a month for the Disciplinary Committee to deliver its decision after the Player’s Status Committee returned a guilty verdict.

Rollers were due to know their fate last week, but the sentencing was postponed to this week Wednesday. While there has been speculation that Rollers might get a slap on the wrist for their transgression, there are reports the club could pay the full price, which includes points deduction for all the matches in which Ratanang was involved. The number of games is believed to be 16, with no independent verification from the Botswana Premier League (BPL). Rollers have lodged an appeal of their own against Security Systems, claiming some players were improperly registered.

However, Systems and the Botswana Football Association (BFA) issued separate statements last week disputing the players were improperly registered. The case has not been heard. Rollers was found guilty of registering Ratanang almost a month after the transfer window closed at the start of the season. Two Rollers officials, Motsheketsi Mafa and Sidney Magagane as well as the former BFA regions and competitions manager, Phuthego Setete were suspended from football activities in the ensuing fall-out. BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti said there is need to ‘clean’ the game of football following the incident. “For football to develop, we need clean football. There are a lot of people who are used to the old ways of doing things in an unacceptable manner. Botswana football must be clean and we are going to take action.

Editor's Comment
Congratulations Anicia Gaothuse!

The contest had 10 beautiful young girls as finalists and unfortunately only one could wear the crown.The judges picked Anicia Gaothuse. To all those who feel their contestant should have won ahead of Anicia for whatever reason, hardly; the judges found Anicia to be the best among the best, so desist from disrespecting our newly crowned queen on social media or anywhere else, for that matter! Each of the 10 beautiful young women had supporters...

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