Tension high between BFA and BPL

It is the best kept secret in football – that the Botswana Football Association (BFA) president Tebogo Sebego and Botswana Premier League Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bennett Mamelodi do not see eye to eye.

As it is, the two men only tolerate each other for the sake of football, and those within Likidi Centre say if it was by Sebego, Mamelodi would have joined the likes of Duncan Kgame and Sonnyboy Sethibe on the sidelines of football administration in Botswana. Kgame is the BFA CEO that was never wanted by Sebego’s committee when they took over football administration last year, and was made to leave the association to make way for Keith Masters. Sethibe also was forced to quit the association following differences of opinion with Sebego’s administration.

For months now, it has been corridor talk that the BFA president wants to also see the back of the premier league CEO. Concerned parties on this matter refuse to go on record regarding the subtle tension between the two top football authorities, but they admit the stand off is affecting progress in the running of football matters in the country. Several premier league board members admit to knowing that not all is well between their CEO and the BFA leadership, and all point accusing fingers to the BFA president whom they feel want to usurp all powers to even micro manage their affairs. On BG Sport inquiry, the two concerned men curtly avoid discussing the matter. Sebego himself dismisses such misdemeanors leveled against him as utter rubbish, while Mamelodi refuses to talk “about relations in football to the media.”

Yet the premier league board chairperson Mokganedi Molefhe shows he has some information. Upon inquiry on the matter, Molefhe says “this issue bothers me as an administrator. I am glad that you have called me to seek clarification because these are matters we want to avoid. We are approaching the end of some sponsorship deals and we should be weary of issues that may affect the confidence of the sponsors in us.” Molefhe says he is working hard to ensure there is stability in football, especially in the premier league, and is not amused by the endemic talk that even suggests his CEO could be shown the door by anybody. “As for Mamelodi, I have no reason to doubt his credentials. People are quick to say things about him. Look at the league progress; and sponsors are happy yet nobody appreciates even how he manages to avoid too many match postponements that used to cause us problems in the past,” Molefhe said.

In some of his past media interviews, Mamelodi has talked of receiving resistance to some of his initiatives, and worried that such resistance was sadly coming from some in the leadership of football, but promised to persevere. Observers have followed up on that to say his main problem is with the BFA executive rather than with the premier league board. Some from within the local football administration were recently quoting the television rights saga that involved Botswana Television and Supersport. Whereas Mamelodi had successfully sold Botswana football to Supersport, Sebego opted for Botswana Television, a choice a lot of club chairpersons still do not favour to date. Already they point to the local television station failing to televise several matches they know Supersport would have easily taken care of.

Another issue they raise as an example of rocky relations between the duo involves a decision recently taken to suspend BMC FC for a year, which was supported by the premier league leadership. Sebego overturned the decision, leading to Mamelodi refusing for some time to include the BMC side back into the fixture list. Eventually Mamelodi gave in following talk that he would be fired if he did not show obedience to the BFA leadership. Those close to Mamelodi say he knows all too well that Sebego wants him out. Similarly, those close to Sebego confirm the BFA president would rather be without Mamelodi. The premier league club chairpersons who spoke to BG Sport have vowed to stand by their man, saying the BFA leadership did not appoint Mamelodi, and that they should leave him alone. For other observers, the tension simply represents a clash of egos.

They say it is a case of one man saying I understand the football business better than you, and the other saying you have no power to implement anything unless I back it. Other observers say Sebego would rather do with a Yes-man who toes his line. Unfortunately, they say, Mamelodi is stubborn and would not do as commanded by the BFA leadership if he does not believe the instructed matter would benefit the premier league teams. One club chairperson adds, “Look at how he does anything with the BFA CEO Keith Masters; he wants someone like that, the one he can easily control. Yet Keith has achieved nothing ever since he was brought in. That’s why he (Sebego) and Mamelodi will always have a problem. It is a fact that the two gentlemen don’t get along even when they really have to help each other run our football.”

Sebego gets angry when this matter is raised with him. He told BG Sport, “I am tired of faceless people who make allegations about me. There is nothing wrong between Mamelodi and I. just this Monday (last week) I was with him at the stadium and we discussed a lot of things. People are just creating something out of nothing.” On the other hand, Mamelodi failed to deny nor confirm the tension and soured relations between himself and the BFA President. “What I can say is that I am content at the premier league, and it will be inappropriate to discuss my relationship with my principals through the media.”