BMS bungles Khawa

FOOTBALL 

The Botswana Football Association (BFA) National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) this week dismissed the case of Gaborone United (GU) players’ mass termination of contracts.

The Footballers Union of Botswana (FUB) on behalf of 13 GU players had recently filed an urgent case against team management citing that the players wanted their contracts to be terminated with immediate effect over unpaid salaries. The players are owed salaries of over six months.

Nevertheles,  the NDRC has since dismissed the case saying there is no urgency in the matter and the case will be heard at a later date that is yet to be communicated. According to the FUB legal advisor Puso Motlhane, they wanted the case to be heard as matter of urgency because as it stands, the situation between GU management and the players might destabilise the proper ending of the BTC premiership league. He paid reference to last weekend game between Police XI and GU in Molepolole saying the game was called off because players did not turn up for the game as a result of the pending issues between both parties.

As it stands, no solution has been found to this far and things are most likely to remain the same at Moyagoleele. Players are not turning up for training and it is not clear if the team will manage to honour their last league fixture against Gilport Lions. Unconfirmed reports allege that the 13 players are determined to stay away for as long as possible until GU pays them their dues. “Enough is enough, we have had enough because clearly they do not care about us. We are just being used and expected to bring results while we continue to suffer,” some of the disgruntled GU players told BG Sport

Recently, the concerned players said that they are unable to survive and have nothing to feed their players. Quizzed on  their current relationship with the team management, players said that some of them are not even on speaking terms because the (management) has made it clear that it is only interested in winning matches and neglecting the main stakeholder, being players. When contacted for comment, Gaborone United General Manager Olebile Sikwane said the players are contract bound hence the current situation. In his view the players are still GU employees and the necessary actions will be taken against them if they continue with their behaviour.

 Regarding the weekend abandoned game, Sikwane revealed that they had informed Botswana Premier League (BPL) prior to the game however BPL never responded on the matter.