DCEC clamps BPL offices
Sport
The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has reared its ugly head inside Botswana Premier league (BPL) offices, confiscating important storage systems and locking down the premises amid swelling reports of fraud, unaccountability and favoritism -WeekendSport has established.
On Wednesday evening, the spirit of football association and premier league house brotherhood collapsed frantically following reports that the NEC defied President Tebogo Sebego’s plans by accepting the premier league board decision of suspending league Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and recalling the chairman and his vice. Just when the meeting was about to end, DCEC arrived like a thief on the night to lock the league house, prior to commencing their investigations on Thursday morning.
It is noted that in the past weekend, the premier league board met to suspend Bennett Mamelodi and recall Walter Kgabung, the premier league chairman together with his assistant Solomon Mantswe. The board which comprised of sixteen chairmen is said to have been incensed by the unavailability of grants that, according to procedure, should be directed to their team accounts every 4 months.
It is worth noting that the DCEC is the only ‘able body’ to probe the troubled league house and not the association itself. This follows strong revolt by some premier league board members and some BFA executives to water down Sebego’s press statement that decisions be reversed. The BFA top brass had wanted the board to explain how they arrived at the decision of suspending Mamelodi.
Kitso Kemoeng, BFA CEO, flatly refused to comment rather saying; ‘‘this is a sensitive issue, and we need to make sure we speak when everything else is dealt with.’’
Members who are alleged to be from the DCEC spent the entire day on Thursday snooping around the league offices. They are said to be probing documents which might be remnants of the paper trail of money entering and leaving the league offices. Some premier league staff was taken to police desk in connection with missing money and league office tablets.
All hell broke loose when some premier league teams received grants – in cash from the league offices while some did not. There are however other reports that the league is operating with a ‘suicidal budget’ where loans were sourced for cover up.
It is reported that the league house is in deficit of over BWP 6 million and this has led to the former sports consultant together with his personal assistant being slapped with suspensions. In countering their case, the league house, sources say, has been crippled largely by Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS) – a body responsible for tax. Information says about P1.980 000.00 has gone to the BURS purse.
The probe comes just a few weeks after the DCEC started investigating premier league overseer, BFA over the issue of tender restructuring. The president was accused by several NEC members for signing the contract with Global Consultants without engaging his committee. It was alleged that the contract was copied to FIFA- the world football governing body to inject cash for the restructuring exercise.
‘‘We want this issue to be thoroughly dealt with, after DCEC investigations, we will conduct our own forensic audit, a lot is at foul here,’’ one board member told this publication.
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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.”
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