Bush Bucks still to meet Club licensing compliance
Baganetsi Kamanakao
By Thuso Rammidi
Sankoyo Bush Bucks is yet to meet the requirements of recently enforced club licensing system compliance, after they were awarded an initial provincial licence having passed with 70 per cent.The Nhabe Region’s representative in the elite division falls amongst 11 other clubs that had failed the test and were awarded waivers until the October 31 deadline, lest their license is revoked and they are expelled from the Botswana Premier League(BPL).Bush Bucks lagged behind in providing their audited financial report, a contract with their general manager, training programme for youth teams as well as contract with Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) to use their facility, Maun Sports Complex to play their home games.
Clubs were expected to submit a written application for a club license ahead of the start of the 2017/18 season and those which failed to meet the requirements were not to compete until they put their act together.Other requirements to be met included criteria in legal and club ownership, personnel and administrative, sporting youth, infrastructure, finance and media.According to FIFA Club licensing regulations there are three criteria to fulfil (A, B, C). Criteria A, is a must for a team to be issued with a license and it includes five key pointers; sporting, infrastructure, administrative and personnel, legal and financials.The Maun side had not submitting their audited financial report as well as detailed information of their youth teams’ training programme.
In an interview this week, Bush Bucks’ chairperson, Itumeleng Kelebetseng revealed that they are currently facing a problem to pay some professional auditors to audit their books.He explained that the situation is giving his team some sleepless nights and they are in consultation with the BPL to assist with finance to complete the exercise.“We are still having a problem to pay auditors. However, we are talking to the premier league to help but we have only talked verbally through telephone. We are yet to write them a formal official letter,” Kelebetseng said.
Bush Bucks’ chair said they are looking to request an advance from their monthly grant to be able to pay the auditors but feared that it will affect their budget as they use grants to pay players’ salaries. “It will be difficult since we pay players through the grants,” he stated. He further explained that they will meet the auditors to map a way forward by today (Thursday).
Kelebetseng expressed fear of the impending deadline but optimistic that by acting early, it could help to find a solution. Regarding youth teams, Kelebetseng said that they are at advance stages and hopes they will have concluded their submittion by next week Tuesday.He further revealed that they are lacking behind in staffing,but added that a contract with the stadium owners (BNSC) has been concluded as well as that of the general manager.
“Only the audited financial report is pending. The problem is that we do not have money to pay auditors. We are talking around P20 000 to have them audit our books but we hope to find a solution before the deadline,” he stated.
Former First Instance Body chairman, Mfolo Mfolo, who is the current acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Botswana Football Association (BFA) recently said was his committee has given the 11 teams a waiver to compete in the league under the condition that they will meet all requirement at the end of this month.The waiver compelled teams to comply by the October deadline, failing which they would be expelled from competing in the league for the rest of the season. Ahead of the implementation, FIB had rigorously educated the 16 BPL clubs before they started receiving applications and scrutinizing them ahead of issuing of licenses. It was emerged that financial statements became the big obstacle amongst other requirements as number of clubs who had faced financial constraints suffered the most, which made it difficult for them to have audited financials.
Extension Gunners, Flamengo Santos and Gaborone United were issued with provisional A license with an excellent mark and still have a few requirements to satisfy before they can be licensed fully. Those that have been issued provisional A license with a good grade are Sankoyo Bush Bucks, BDF XI, TAFIC and Gilport Lions. Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Sharps Shooting Stars, Miscellaneous and Black Forest lagged behind the rest of the elite clubs only being awarded provisional B licences with a pass mark. It had emerged that most of the clubs struggled to submit audited financial statements. It could be partly due to the fact that they did not a qualified accountant to have them compiled and audited externally.
FIB had stressed that failure by those that have been issued provisional licences to meet the October deadline will see their licences revoked even if they had already played some games in the league. The FIB is said to have revealed that monitoring and spot checks will be done throughout the season to ensure that clubs maintain what they agreed to do. During the announced of briefing to announce the results of the after assessment of applications, Mfolo is said to have warned that should there be any evidence that halfway through the season, a club has violated some requirements, their licences will be revoked.
Sankoyo Bush Bucks is yet to meet the requirements of recently enforced club licensing system compliance, after they were awarded an initial provincial licence having passed with 70 per cent.The Nhabe Region’s representative in the elite division falls amongst 11 other clubs that had failed the test and were awarded waivers until the October 31 deadline, lest their license is revoked and they are expelled from the Botswana Premier League(BPL).Bush Bucks lagged behind in providing their audited financial report, a contract with their general manager, training programme for youth teams as well as contract with Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) to use their facility, Maun Sports Complex to play their home games.
Clubs were expected to submit a written application for a club license ahead of the start of the 2017/18 season and those which failed to meet the requirements were not to compete until they put their act together.Other requirements to be met included criteria in legal and club ownership, personnel and administrative, sporting youth, infrastructure, finance and media.According to FIFA Club licensing regulations there are three criteria to fulfil (A, B, C). Criteria A, is a must for a team to be issued with a license and it includes five key pointers; sporting, infrastructure, administrative and personnel, legal and financials.The Maun side had not submitting their audited financial report as well as detailed information of their youth teams’ training programme.
In an interview this week, Bush Bucks’ chairperson, Itumeleng Kelebetseng revealed that they are currently facing a problem to pay some professional auditors to audit their books.He explained that the situation is giving his team some sleepless nights and they are in consultation with the BPL to assist with finance to complete the exercise.“We are still having a problem to pay auditors. However, we are talking to the premier league to help but we have only talked verbally through telephone. We are yet to write them a formal official letter,” Kelebetseng said.
Bush Bucks’ chair said they are looking to request an advance from their monthly grant to be able to pay the auditors but feared that it will affect their budget as they use grants to pay players’ salaries. “It will be difficult since we pay players through the grants,” he stated. He further explained that they will meet the auditors to map a way forward by today (Thursday).
Kelebetseng expressed fear of the impending deadline but optimistic that by acting early, it could help to find a solution. Regarding youth teams, Kelebetseng said that they are at advance stages and hopes they will have concluded their submittion by next week Tuesday.He further revealed that they are lacking behind in staffing,but added that a contract with the stadium owners (BNSC) has been concluded as well as that of the general manager.
“Only the audited financial report is pending. The problem is that we do not have money to pay auditors. We are talking around P20 000 to have them audit our books but we hope to find a solution before the deadline,” he stated.
Former First Instance Body chairman, Mfolo Mfolo, who is the current acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Botswana Football Association (BFA) recently said was his committee has given the 11 teams a waiver to compete in the league under the condition that they will meet all requirement at the end of this month.The waiver compelled teams to comply by the October deadline, failing which they would be expelled from competing in the league for the rest of the season. Ahead of the implementation, FIB had rigorously educated the 16 BPL clubs before they started receiving applications and scrutinizing them ahead of issuing of licenses. It was emerged that financial statements became the big obstacle amongst other requirements as number of clubs who had faced financial constraints suffered the most, which made it difficult for them to have audited financials.
Extension Gunners, Flamengo Santos and Gaborone United were issued with provisional A license with an excellent mark and still have a few requirements to satisfy before they can be licensed fully. Those that have been issued provisional A license with a good grade are Sankoyo Bush Bucks, BDF XI, TAFIC and Gilport Lions. Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Sharps Shooting Stars, Miscellaneous and Black Forest lagged behind the rest of the elite clubs only being awarded provisional B licences with a pass mark. It had emerged that most of the clubs struggled to submit audited financial statements. It could be partly due to the fact that they did not a qualified accountant to have them compiled and audited externally.
FIB had stressed that failure by those that have been issued provisional licences to meet the October deadline will see their licences revoked even if they had already played some games in the league. The FIB is said to have revealed that monitoring and spot checks will be done throughout the season to ensure that clubs maintain what they agreed to do. During the announced of briefing to announce the results of the after assessment of applications, Mfolo is said to have warned that should there be any evidence that halfway through the season, a club has violated some requirements, their licences will be revoked.
“Matlola tereta” moniker to be evoked in Terrors, Tigers derby
By Thuso Rammidi
When Maun’s two oldest clubs, Maun Tigers and Maun United Terrors lock horns in an original derby of Nhabe region’s division one league, it promises to evoke memories that dates back to the days of moniker, ‘Matlola-tereta’ where tension ahead of kick-off overshadows the glaring bragging rights. The two sleeping football giants trot onto the field at Maun Secondary School on Sunday at 4 pm. Matlola-tereta, are said to be a group of individuals who founded Maun United Terrors in 1966 after they could not join Maun Tigers at the time, which gave birth to the rivalry of the sides.
The moniker came, bearing in mind that they are people who were born outside Nhabe region boundaries into Maun,who metaphorically crossed through Makalamabeldi cordon fence into Maun. Maun United Terrors was founded by a group people who were born on the southern part of the Makalamabedi Gate that forms entrance into Maun and Nhabe Region. A lot has changed since the two historic clubs in Maun has met. Maun United Terrors had a stint in National First Division (NFD) in 2008/9 season and relegated in 2010/11.
Interestingly, their relegation was met with Maun Tigers’ upward transcendary by gaining promotion until they were also relegated at the end of last season. The two sides avoided each other since their last jittery meeting in 2008, and as fate decides, they will meet again in the dusty ground on Sunday, where their dislike for each other began.
Whether they will continue where they left-off remains to be seen but with their recent performances, a thrilling encounter can be expected. According to Kgato Motai, the current chairperson of Nhabe Regional Football Association (NRFA) who also played in the derby for Maun Tigers, the meeting between the two sides was historically characterised by emotions, both in the field of play and outside between supporters of both sides. He was speaking in an interview on Wednesday as the build up to the game, initially pencilled for tomorrow, but later switched to Sunday to allow for resources to be concentrated on it due to its magnitude and possible explosiveness.
The regions’ boss described the past fixtures between the sides as a tense affair which was at times marred by fights between supporters outside the pitched, while players also exchanged fist-fights on the field as sparks flew emanating from rough tackles and flying kicks. Motai also said at times, referees were not sparred, and they often received the beating from supporters and players alike, for their decisions. Both teams’ supporters did not sit together around the pitch, according to Motai, as proximity to each other would lead to conflicts and fights.
He also revealed that a week leading to the fixture; the village went into a stand-still with talks of who is bigger and better to win the game caused division amongst supporters on the Maun United Terrors and Maun Tigers side. It propelled the match-day to frenzy with bragging rights highly anticipated, but at times, the games never ended due to violence. The situation was not helped by the moniker, Matlola-terera, became a defaming and belittling word to Maun United Terrors’ founders who would take offence. Motai assumed that the weekend fixture is expected to be as tense as ever. His assumption comes after Maun Tigers dropped from the National First Division (NFD) and will be looking to bounce back after a season in lower ranks.
On the other side, Maun United Terrors has been a dominant force, winning the league on several occasion and they will not want to relinquish their grip to their bitter traditional rivals. Both clubs goes into the fixture with 100% record from the previous two games they have played so far. Tigers won against Springbok of Gweta and Wolfsburg FC which they hammered 2-1 and 3-0 respectively while United Terrors got the better of CTO and Gunners of Kwai with score-lines of 2-0 and 3-0 respectively. United Terrors sits above Tigers on goals difference advantage after they scored five and have not conceded, while Tigers managed the same number of goals but have conceded one against Springbok.
Maun Tigers’ secretary general, Pontsho Molwane is aware of the magnitude of the game. In an interview on Thursday morning, Molwane said that a lot is at stake and both teams will be looking to guard their pride and take the bragging rights. “Both teams started the season well. We are both front-runners leading the pack at the top of the log standings,” he said. The two sides are equal on points and only separated by goal difference. “We are talking about Terrors and Tigers here, which are rivals from long back. We have been at NFD and now we got relegated, while they dominated the league in our absence and since we are back, the rivalry continues. “A lot is at stake and both sides will want to guard their pride, so we expecting a very tough game,” Molwane stressed.
On United Terrors’ side, the club’s manager Kebonyethebe Dikgathatso shared Molwane’s sentiment and added that for them, it is all about getting the important results and focus on the league.In other weekend fixtures to be played tomorrow, CTO v Western Dynamites at Maun Technical College(MTC), Springbok v Wolfsburg at Gweta, Gunners of Khwai v Delta Winds at GOK, Brothers Of Peace v Maun Heroes at Delta Winds Grounds, Wild Dogs v Zungu at Shorobe, Cubs v Moeti United at Saxe.
When Maun’s two oldest clubs, Maun Tigers and Maun United Terrors lock horns in an original derby of Nhabe region’s division one league, it promises to evoke memories that dates back to the days of moniker, ‘Matlola-tereta’ where tension ahead of kick-off overshadows the glaring bragging rights. The two sleeping football giants trot onto the field at Maun Secondary School on Sunday at 4 pm. Matlola-tereta, are said to be a group of individuals who founded Maun United Terrors in 1966 after they could not join Maun Tigers at the time, which gave birth to the rivalry of the sides.
The moniker came, bearing in mind that they are people who were born outside Nhabe region boundaries into Maun,who metaphorically crossed through Makalamabeldi cordon fence into Maun. Maun United Terrors was founded by a group people who were born on the southern part of the Makalamabedi Gate that forms entrance into Maun and Nhabe Region. A lot has changed since the two historic clubs in Maun has met. Maun United Terrors had a stint in National First Division (NFD) in 2008/9 season and relegated in 2010/11.
Interestingly, their relegation was met with Maun Tigers’ upward transcendary by gaining promotion until they were also relegated at the end of last season. The two sides avoided each other since their last jittery meeting in 2008, and as fate decides, they will meet again in the dusty ground on Sunday, where their dislike for each other began.
Whether they will continue where they left-off remains to be seen but with their recent performances, a thrilling encounter can be expected. According to Kgato Motai, the current chairperson of Nhabe Regional Football Association (NRFA) who also played in the derby for Maun Tigers, the meeting between the two sides was historically characterised by emotions, both in the field of play and outside between supporters of both sides. He was speaking in an interview on Wednesday as the build up to the game, initially pencilled for tomorrow, but later switched to Sunday to allow for resources to be concentrated on it due to its magnitude and possible explosiveness.
The regions’ boss described the past fixtures between the sides as a tense affair which was at times marred by fights between supporters outside the pitched, while players also exchanged fist-fights on the field as sparks flew emanating from rough tackles and flying kicks. Motai also said at times, referees were not sparred, and they often received the beating from supporters and players alike, for their decisions. Both teams’ supporters did not sit together around the pitch, according to Motai, as proximity to each other would lead to conflicts and fights.
He also revealed that a week leading to the fixture; the village went into a stand-still with talks of who is bigger and better to win the game caused division amongst supporters on the Maun United Terrors and Maun Tigers side. It propelled the match-day to frenzy with bragging rights highly anticipated, but at times, the games never ended due to violence. The situation was not helped by the moniker, Matlola-terera, became a defaming and belittling word to Maun United Terrors’ founders who would take offence. Motai assumed that the weekend fixture is expected to be as tense as ever. His assumption comes after Maun Tigers dropped from the National First Division (NFD) and will be looking to bounce back after a season in lower ranks.
On the other side, Maun United Terrors has been a dominant force, winning the league on several occasion and they will not want to relinquish their grip to their bitter traditional rivals. Both clubs goes into the fixture with 100% record from the previous two games they have played so far. Tigers won against Springbok of Gweta and Wolfsburg FC which they hammered 2-1 and 3-0 respectively while United Terrors got the better of CTO and Gunners of Kwai with score-lines of 2-0 and 3-0 respectively. United Terrors sits above Tigers on goals difference advantage after they scored five and have not conceded, while Tigers managed the same number of goals but have conceded one against Springbok.
Maun Tigers’ secretary general, Pontsho Molwane is aware of the magnitude of the game. In an interview on Thursday morning, Molwane said that a lot is at stake and both teams will be looking to guard their pride and take the bragging rights. “Both teams started the season well. We are both front-runners leading the pack at the top of the log standings,” he said. The two sides are equal on points and only separated by goal difference. “We are talking about Terrors and Tigers here, which are rivals from long back. We have been at NFD and now we got relegated, while they dominated the league in our absence and since we are back, the rivalry continues. “A lot is at stake and both sides will want to guard their pride, so we expecting a very tough game,” Molwane stressed.
On United Terrors’ side, the club’s manager Kebonyethebe Dikgathatso shared Molwane’s sentiment and added that for them, it is all about getting the important results and focus on the league.In other weekend fixtures to be played tomorrow, CTO v Western Dynamites at Maun Technical College(MTC), Springbok v Wolfsburg at Gweta, Gunners of Khwai v Delta Winds at GOK, Brothers Of Peace v Maun Heroes at Delta Winds Grounds, Wild Dogs v Zungu at Shorobe, Cubs v Moeti United at Saxe.
IWG Gaborone 2018 hosts ‘high meet’
The International Working Group (IWG) on women and sport will host a high meet event next weekend. The venue of the event was yet to be confirmed at the time of the going to print. International Working Group will host their 7th World Conference on Women and Sport in Gaborone next year from May 17-20. The IWG World Conferences on Women and Sport are milestone events, which every four years focus global attention on specific goals and action steps aimed at offering men and women equal opportunities in the sports arena.
The economic, social and cultural impact of the many hundreds of delegates representing nations from all continents is significant and has resulted in concrete benefits for the previous host countries. According to information on the Group’s website, the high meet event will be held under the theme “Corporate Social Investment-Towards empowering women and girls in sports in Botswana”. The event will be hosted by the Group’s patron, Dorcas Makgato, and it aims to bring leaders of government ministries, corporates and civil society together to understand the IWG mandate and pledge support for women and girls in sport. The event will be headlined by Guest of Honour, Madame Monica Geingos, who is the first Lady of Namibia.It will also be graced by celebrity chef, Siba Mtongana of Siba’s Table, Foodnetwork from South Africa. Tickets are currently on sale at P500 per person.
The economic, social and cultural impact of the many hundreds of delegates representing nations from all continents is significant and has resulted in concrete benefits for the previous host countries. According to information on the Group’s website, the high meet event will be held under the theme “Corporate Social Investment-Towards empowering women and girls in sports in Botswana”. The event will be hosted by the Group’s patron, Dorcas Makgato, and it aims to bring leaders of government ministries, corporates and civil society together to understand the IWG mandate and pledge support for women and girls in sport. The event will be headlined by Guest of Honour, Madame Monica Geingos, who is the first Lady of Namibia.It will also be graced by celebrity chef, Siba Mtongana of Siba’s Table, Foodnetwork from South Africa. Tickets are currently on sale at P500 per person.