Football Pari Delicto principle
Sport
The dark clouds hovering over the postponement of the Botswana Football Association (BFA) elective congress has resulted in three contesting camps drifting apart.
At the turn of last month, aspirant Tebogo Sebego sent a complaint letter to the Secretary General of FIFA-world football governing body- questioning the BFA Executive Committee’s decision to postpone elections under the pretext of the novel corona virus pandemic.
Sebego, a firm challenger of incumbent Maclean Letshwiti, said FIFA should intervene and appoint an interim committee to run the affairs of the association until the day of the elections. His letter was a representation of Team Sebego and he pulled to his side, another contesting team, Team Malesu, to share sentiments that Letshwiti’s term was over and he has to vacate the office.
“We are raising alarms and demanding your urgent intervention for the following reasons that the outgoing NEC continues to take binding decisions for the association which might not resonate with the aspirations of the incoming NEC. There continues to be uncertainty about the date of the elective committee which in part is because of COVID -19 but to a larger extent because the President is avoiding elections,” reads part of the complaint letter.
Across the football political spectrum emerges the principle of pari delicto which simple refers to two persons or entities who are equally at fault on certain issues. There is a strong belief that Sebego, as he seeks justice, must come out with clean hands. This observation is catalysed by the glaring facts that Sebego postponed Notwane elections as the President.
In July, the club announced that the elective congress must be postponed because of the corona virus. The club brought forward similar reasons advanced by Letshwiti’s committee, all bordering on the effects of this pandemic. “The management after a thorough consultation has taken a decision to postpone Notwane FC annual general meeting to September of 2020 due to the current Covid-19 regulations and protocols,” Sebego’s Notwane announced.
While the former BFA boss argued that Letshwiti‘s tenure was over and he should desist from taking decisions on behalf of the association, he was also seen officiating at the ceremony when Notwane was launching a sponsor last week. Was he equally wrong?Meanwhile the COVID-19 task force team even at this hour remains resolute that no meeting can be held across zones until they confirm otherwise.
BFA general assembly was scheduled for August 22 but was postponed because the Task Force Team refused to grant BFA a special permit to move forward.In another closely related matter, the association has written to one of Sebego’s troops, Maokaneng Bontshetse, to explain why he has been using the association’s vehicle for his personal trips.
Bontshetse who eyes the Vice President position replied by putting forth a plethora of questions as he sought clarity on the prevailing matter.The former Letshwiti moral voice appears to suggest that Letshwiti and Co. are also using BFA vehicles for personal gains.
Bontshetse requested, “Kindly confirm whether or not the BFA motor vehicle Amarok B960 BED was not used by yourself over the weekend to undertake your personal activity (to campaign at UB). Further confirm whether the said vehicle has never been used to deliver goods at your farm.” Pari Delicto principle indeed.
Sport
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.
Sport
Big Guns for Botswana Grand Prix
The National Stadium will be lit up with fireworks on April 29, 2023, as some of the best international athletes will participate in the maiden 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.”