FIFA threatens to relegate GU
Sport
As Gaborone United (GU) plunges deeper into uncharted football waters, the world football governing body FIFA on one side continues to exert devastating pressure over the payment of Ghanaian player, Bismark Appiah. In fact, FIFA on September 3rd issued a stern warning against the struggling club through the football association to remember clearing their debts. FIFA says the club‘s failure to comply will painfully risk their status on the elite league.
GU was given a deadline of August 26th to have fully paid the player or communicated the intention to pay. It appears that FIFA has not received any communiqué from the club or BFA hence threatening to trigger the fall of the mighty club. As early as last week, the club saw three points been docked after failing to meet the deadline. The end result saw the club dropping into the 16th and last position on the log standing with -2 points.
FIFA has also acknowledged to have received BFA’s letter that the local football has duly deducted points from the club as per correspondence of July 26th. “We take note from the content of the letter from the Botswana Football Association that the latter has duly implemented the decision taken by a Member of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on 25 July 2018 by deducting three points from the first team of the club Gaborone United and by providing our services with standings of the relevant league, on which it can seen that three points have been deducted,” part of the FIFA letter reads.
However, the governing world football body continues to remind and consequently warns the club to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves. Despite repeated pronouncement by some GU interim committee members that the club has paid part the money, FIFA warns that the club will cease from playing in the top flight football.
“We would like to remind the club Gaborone United that if it still fails to pay the amount due even after the deduction of points and upon request of the creditor, the matter would be resubmitted to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, which would decide on a possible relegation of the club’s first team to the next lower division,” Alexander Jacobs who is the deputy secretary to the FIFA disciplinary committee writes.
The Ghanaian’s contract was terminated in January 2016 but upon receiving a complaint, FIFA ordered that the player be paid a total of P 400 000 as compensation for breaching his contract and additional 5 percent interest to be calculated in accordance with the said decision.
FIFA had therefore ordered GU to pay a fine to the amount of CHF 5,000(P51449.13) within 30 days. The deadline also required GU to pay Appiah USD 39,500 (P 400 000). In essence GU had to pay a total of P 450 000 including 5 percent interest before August 26th.
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Sport
AFRICA’S RECOVERY: Sports as game changer
The year 2022 witnessed unprecedented phenomena. Several Africans- Gotytom Gebreslase, Sharon Lokedi, Victor Kiplangat, Tamarit Tola and many others- swept the World’s marathons records.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting control measures implemented in several countries, led to many high-level sports competitions being cancelled or shelved, the Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games was moved to 2026.
Founder and Executive Chairman, African Sports and Creative Institute, Will Mabiakop, says the inability to hold traditional and amateur sports events have had a serious effect on public health overall, including mental health, sparking a revolution whereby athletes began to talk more openly about stress, mental overload and performance anxiety.
“Africa is home to the fastest growing economies before the crisis, no longer on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). COVID-19 deepened interdependence between SDGs, making them harder to achieve, especially SDG 10 (reducing inequality) and SDG 5 (gender equality_ as the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on poorer countries, and heavier burdens (such as care work) fell to women.”
Mabiakop stresses that as policymakers contemplate actions to speed up recovery and build resilience, they must argue that sports and creative businesses should play a central feature in this effort.
“The sports economy worldwide is estimated at 5% of GDP, but only 0.5% in Africa. If exploited, Africa’s sports and creative industries can offer policymakers innovative solutions. Especially, as regards job creation, and providing employment to the 15 million people entering the job market annually.”
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY DO THIS?
By leveraging the two-for-one concept: past studies shown that a 1% growth in the economy delivers a 2% job increment in this sector (these ratios are calculated using data from 48 African countries and adjusted to the reality of the sports economy in Africa by the authors). There are between 30 and 50 job types, in sports and creative industries, respectively. These jobs do not fade away with the first major shock.
Mabiakop indicated that policymakers can use these industries to tackle multiple crises- jobs, poverty, and climate risks. Sports diplomacy- defined as communication, representation and negotiation in or through the prism of sports- has proven effective in building inclusive and cohesive societies. Moreover, sports and the creative industry can support better mental health and well-being, both important for productivity.
“Policymakers can also be true to the game by leveraging culture and tradition to celebrate identity and reap commercial value in sports, textiles and jewelry. Creative sectors allow deeper connection with culture, are not easily copied and provide great economic potential.”
He said supporting grassroots sports has powerful distributional effects. “Fortunately, technology has made reaching wide audiences easier, generating higher rates of success when talent is discovered.”
However, Mabiakop held that potential pitfalls must be highlighted. “First avoid build it and they will come policies with infrastructures denuded from the rest of the ecosystem. Like the many sports stadiums left largely unused.”
“Policymakers must remain mindful of how these sectors move the needle in human capital development. Also, align the requisite public policies needed for progress from grassroots participation to professional sports, and even to international sporting events. They should also support investment instruments to render these sectors performant.”