No special assembly for BFA
Sport
An Emergency Committee of the Botswana Football Association (BFA) met on Wednesday evening to discuss the association road map and possibly ascertain how far they have gone since the new leadership was voted into power in August 2016.
Sources say there was no specific agenda of the meeting but a couple of far reaching issues were tackled as the committee sought to steward the BFA ship to calmer waters. The committee which comprises of BFA president MacLean Letshwiti, his first and Second vice presidents Segolame Ramotlhwa and Marshlow Motlogelwa respectively together with BFA CEO, Mfolo Mfolo deliberated extensively the issue of finance and audit report that has for sometime been left hanging.
This publication has learnt that at the last annual assembly; the financial report was not presented because an audit was still being conducted. However, the assembly was informed that a special congress was to be called to address the issue once the auditing had been completed. WeekendSport has learnt that BDO Financial Services, a financial firm that was tasked with the job has since submitted the final report.
This publication has also learnt that the association is considering foregoing the special assembly issue and seeking permission from FIFA, the football world governing body, to report the financial status of the association at the next assembly slated for July. BFA says it is too expensive to hold a special assembly as well as an annual one in the same year. Sources estimate that a minimum budget of P500 000 is needed for the two meetings to be held.
A delay in submitting the financials, it is said, emanated from the newly introduced system where BPL finances, BFA and its regions are incorporated into one report. Before that, all were done separately. BFA media liaison Tumo Mpatane could not field this publication’s enquiries but BFA CEO Mfolo Mfolo admitted at a press conference on Monday that “auditing has been concluded”.
Whether the committee discussed reform processes is yet to be established. At the end of last year, it was reported that there was bad blood between the president and his first vice president. The issue which worsened by one NEC member, Tshepo Mphoeng, who in a group email questioned the relationship between the president and Ramotlhwa, was believed to have put the association into disrepute.
It was widely known that the Vice President was not attending meetings because of the alleged fall out. Mphoeng has since been ‘provisionally removed’ from the National Executive Committee (NEC), and her fate will be determined at the upcoming assembly in July.
Meanwhile the association has lost a golden opportunity to host the COSAFA castle challenge Cup because of its negative account balance. There is an uphill battle to get sponsorship for the Senior National team as Orange and Banc ABC could not renew their sponsorship deal. However, Orange appears to have proceeded to another level where it is believed to be negotiating terms to sponsor the FA Cup.
Sport
Big Guns for Botswana Grand Prix
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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.”
Sport
BFA to pay Taylor P330 000
Botswana Football Association (BFA) has been ordered to pay its former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Goabaone Taylor over P330 000 as a compensation for her unfair dismissal last year February.
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