Footballers Union of Botswana (FUB) are reportedly far from impressed by the local football governing mother-body, Botswana Football Association (BFA), over what they deem to be a deliberate negligence of players by the latter.
Leading up to the BFA elective congress in 2020, FUB and the BFA were seemingly in sync with each other, sharing mutual interests on issues affecting players, and even signed memorandums of understanding as well as setting up National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) to effectively deal with issues at hand.
Less than two years later, after the elections, the relationship between the two organizations have grown oceans apart and none of the aforementioned agreements have been exercised to implement their course.
FUB leadership are plotting serious measures to demand action from the BFA and are well advanced in their efforts. Close reports suggest that they are working on bringing other industry players such as Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) to advance their advocacy to represent the interest of the footballers.
During an exclusive interview, Kgosana Masaseng, the Secretary General of FUB, said it has emerged that the BFA have put a blind eye to the issues affecting the interests of the players, adding that they have since alerted FIFA about some of the abnormalities that exists within the BFA.
“Tshepo Motlhabankwe lodged a case in 2013, 10 years later, his case is yet to be attended to—he has gone through four (4) different teams since then, did his coaching badges and he is now a coach at River Grass; ten years and he is still waiting for justice. This is a clear sign of negligence and incompetence and we have notified FIFA about these things and they assured us their support,” Masaseng shared their frustrations.
Masaseng said that implementation of laws and utilization of existing structures by the powers that be at Lekidi offices is questionable, stating that, as the regulator of football locally, the BFA should take charge and act as expected.
“What we have noted is that we have the best policies to address our problems but if we are not going to respect and put to use those policies, it defeats the purpose—it renders the structure useless. NDRC takes a long time to attend to cases. The BFA are only active when it serves their interest, if they want to suspend someone, their response is lightning, quick to address the issue, this is because the people at the helm of our football don’t have the interests of players at heart,” the FUB Secretary General cried out.
Since 2020, 53 cases were lodged before the BFA but only five (5) have been attended to, according to the FUB representative.
“It is a sad state of affairs, we were the first country in Africa to sign a collective bargain agreement and we deliberated on how best to tackle issues concerning players, it appears that the BFA were at the time just looking to satisfy their own interests which is why we currently find ourselves not dancing to the same tune. We will not give up though, and we will do everything in our power to call BFA to account and help to address the issues concerning the players. We are not asking for favours from BFA, we just want them to implement what we agreed with them; even at FIFA level on how issues of players must be addressed."
The FUB Secretary General further indicated that the players have highlighted that they are ready to revolt against the oppressive and inconsiderate rule of the local football governing mother-body.
Masaseng however, commended the BFA to have completed and implemented the new regulations on status and transfer of the players’ which are aligned to the FIFA statutes.
The BFA has since written to FUB requesting for a meeting which seeks to iron out issues that currently exists between the two offices.
Efforts to get hold of the BFA CEO proved futile as his phone rang unanswered before press time.
Leading up to the BFA elective congress in 2020, FUB and the BFA were seemingly in sync with each other, sharing mutual interests on issues affecting players, and even signed memorandums of understanding as well as setting up National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) to effectively deal with issues at hand.
Less than two years later, after the elections, the relationship between the two organizations have grown oceans apart and none of the aforementioned agreements have been exercised to implement their course.
FUB leadership are plotting serious measures to demand action from the BFA and are well advanced in their efforts. Close reports suggest that they are working on bringing other industry players such as Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) to advance their advocacy to represent the interest of the footballers.
During an exclusive interview, Kgosana Masaseng, the Secretary General of FUB, said it has emerged that the BFA have put a blind eye to the issues affecting the interests of the players, adding that they have since alerted FIFA about some of the abnormalities that exists within the BFA.
“Tshepo Motlhabankwe lodged a case in 2013, 10 years later, his case is yet to be attended to—he has gone through four (4) different teams since then, did his coaching badges and he is now a coach at River Grass; ten years and he is still waiting for justice. This is a clear sign of negligence and incompetence and we have notified FIFA about these things and they assured us their support,” Masaseng shared their frustrations.
Masaseng said that implementation of laws and utilization of existing structures by the powers that be at Lekidi offices is questionable, stating that, as the regulator of football locally, the BFA should take charge and act as expected.
“What we have noted is that we have the best policies to address our problems but if we are not going to respect and put to use those policies, it defeats the purpose—it renders the structure useless. NDRC takes a long time to attend to cases. The BFA are only active when it serves their interest, if they want to suspend someone, their response is lightning, quick to address the issue, this is because the people at the helm of our football don’t have the interests of players at heart,” the FUB Secretary General cried out.
Since 2020, 53 cases were lodged before the BFA but only five (5) have been attended to, according to the FUB representative.
“It is a sad state of affairs, we were the first country in Africa to sign a collective bargain agreement and we deliberated on how best to tackle issues concerning players, it appears that the BFA were at the time just looking to satisfy their own interests which is why we currently find ourselves not dancing to the same tune. We will not give up though, and we will do everything in our power to call BFA to account and help to address the issues concerning the players. We are not asking for favours from BFA, we just want them to implement what we agreed with them; even at FIFA level on how issues of players must be addressed."
The FUB Secretary General further indicated that the players have highlighted that they are ready to revolt against the oppressive and inconsiderate rule of the local football governing mother-body.
Masaseng however, commended the BFA to have completed and implemented the new regulations on status and transfer of the players’ which are aligned to the FIFA statutes.
The BFA has since written to FUB requesting for a meeting which seeks to iron out issues that currently exists between the two offices.
Efforts to get hold of the BFA CEO proved futile as his phone rang unanswered before press time.
