The Zebras found themselves stranded in Mauritania after playing an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in September. The Botswana Football Association (BFA) then issued a statement indicating that logistical challenges due to unforeseen circumstances had affected the team's return from northwest Africa. The team was supposed to charter a flight soon after the September 7 fixture, which Mauritania won 1-0, but reportedly, there was a mix-up in the travel arrangements. The debacle meant that the Zebras only arrived a few hours before the kick-off of their match against Egypt in Francistown, prompting the BFA to write to CAF requesting a re-scheduling. The match, which was scheduled for a 3pm kick-off, was then moved to 6pm. Days later, the BNSC, during a press statement, issued a public apology and promised to get to the bottom of the matter.
Then, Morule said the commission would investigate the circumstances that left the team stranded in Nouakchott, the Mauritania capital, and make the report public. But five months after the incident, the report has not been made public. "Please note that we have submitted our findings to the new Minister (of Sport and Arts) as part of our update and transition amongst other issues. We remain committed to sharing the findings of the report," Morule told MmegiSport this week. In between, there has been a change of government and a new minister, Jacob Kelebeng, came into office following the October 30, 2024 elections. There were reports that the BFA had submitted financial requests for Mauritania late, allegations which were refuted by those at Lekidi Football Centre. Also, sources said at the time, there was bad blood between former sports minister, Tumiso Rakgare, and the then BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti, which saw the deliberate late release of funds from government.
The findings of the report will put an end to the speculations and give finality to the matter. Morule earlier decried that sport was over-reliant on government, which extends to taking care of national teams' expenses.
