BFA at war with itself
Sport
Reform might for a considerable amount of time remain a pipe dream for Botswana Football Association (BFA). Conspiracy theories, back-biting and insubordination still dominate the boardrooms of the association whose executive members still battle to achieve reconciliation of some sort.
Events leading to the national executive committee meeting of November 17th paint a picture of a BFA house that will prove hard to rebuild. Already, the BFA is riddled with factions and so far, one member, Tshepho Mphoentleng has already fallen from short lived grace. Mphoeng, served in the executive committee and was praised for being a woman of football. She is a well-known confidant of former BFA president, Tebogo Sebego.
WeekendSport has turned out information that led to Mphoeng’s dismissal just a few months after she was brought in to replace Suzie Montsho who left the association citing personal challenges. A sizeable number of NEC members accused Mphoeng of violating clause 2.9 of the BFA code of conduct by making statements that are seen to be bringing, or having the potential to bring names of the president and those of other members of the NEC into disrepute.
This publication has uncovered that Mphoeng on the 12th of October 2017, in a group email wrote: “Nna NEC e a ntena ka gore everything is left to them, rona (we) are left out…” She continued, “ and even if you try to advice it does not work, I sometimes feel it is not worth to be in the committee, it is the worst NEC committee I have ever known, so secretive, members are like parcels on board.” The email, seen by this publication is said to have irked BFA president MacLean Letshwiti and eventually compromised her stay in the committee.
However, it is indicated that Mphoeng’s fate will fully be known at the BFA general assembly to be held next year July. The assembly has the powers to ratify or reverse the NEC decisions. Mphoeng said she is not in a position to talk to the media about the move. While various members of the committee almost agree that Mphoeng has made remarks damaging the reputation of the President, what she said of on November 10, just four days before the NEC meeting, might also carry a verdict the football fraternity does not want to accept.
“I am so much concerned about the President and VP 1’s relationship, I suggest we postpone the NEC meeting so that it be held VP1 a le teng, borre ba ba ko ba re bolelele gore go rileng, nna ke ta ba ithoma ba a lapisa (so they inform us what we have done, I will face them, they are a nuisance).”
Evidently, the BFA President and his immediate Vice, Segolame Ramotlhwa have diverging views regarding the running of the association. No one however wants to shed more light on what might have happened between the two. But a hypothesis of the situation can be traced as far back as April this year when the association was battling to employ a competent Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
It was proudly maintained within the NEC that Letshwiti was fond of Ookeditse Malesu, the former CEO while his two assistants, Segolame Ramotlhwa and Marshlow Motlogelwa preferred a different candidate. Ramotlhwa is believed to have been in and out of the game for some time. In the last NEC meeting, he was not present citing medical complications as his reason for the absence. What this publication could however gather is that Ramotlhwa, one of the football long serving members, might also bite the dust. Efforts to reach him could not bear fruits as his phone was off at the time of going to print.
What really happened on November 17th meeting
Insiders say during the deliberations that culminated in the decision to suspend Mphoeng, a total of 7 NEC members voted that she should be removed from her post. One member, Eatametse Olopeng also voted that she must be let go while second vice president Marshlow Motlogelwa decided to abstain from the voting.
Sources further reiterated that Mphoeng, Olopeng and Ramotlhwa are teaming up to sabotage BFA regions. This has been kept under wraps for some time until a time Letshwiti’s committee was ready to bring perpetrators to book. The trio is believed to have Motlogelwa’s blessing, something the Vice President has altogether rubbished.
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Orange injects P350 000 into Phikwe marathon
Mobile network Orange Botswana is committed to supporting the development of local sport. Through its sponsorship, the company will be able to promote and market the sport. According to Maano Masisi, the company believes that sport can unite people from different backgrounds.
He stated that through the sponsorship of the marathon, the company will help promote healthy lifestyles and unity among the people of Selebi Phikwe.
The Selebi Phikwe Marathon is scheduled to take place on July 29, 2023. It is expected that it will attract international, regional, and social runners. A total of P216 000 has been allocated for the prize money for the first ten places in the 42.2 km race. For the 15km and 10km races, the LOC will give away prizes to the first five places.
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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.”