19 Oct 2022
Football lovers are expected to flock different stadia across the country to see what their favourite teams have to offer.
However, the downside is that the premier league will commence without a sponsor.
The recent resignation of the Botswana Football League chief executive officer, Solomon Ramochotlhwane, has compounded the challenges facing football.
Maclean Letshwiti, Botswana Football Association (BFA) president, is a worried man.
He recently read the riot act to the BFL assembly.
He told delegates that they must do the work and do it right.
Letshwiti said his responsibility was to regulate football and to make it conducive for all.
He also warned delegates that failure to professionalise and commercialise football would not be accepted under his leadership.
Letshwiti added that if clubs failed to manage themselves and the league, BFA would be forced to take over the league and run it.
Meanwhile, BOPA took to the streets to talk to some football lovers regarding the status of the game in the country.
Obeditswe Nkwane: Our football is in disarray. The league is starting but we don’t have a sponsor. As football supporters we are disgruntled and our football is no longer appealing. Last season our football was marred by controversy and litigation after litigation.
Do you think there is any sponsor who will want to be associated with local football? We are no longer attending games and have solace in social clubs.
Kadisa Sengone: The league is going to be boring once again without a sponsor. I don’t know why we still fail to lure a sponsor. Is it because of leadership or what? he asked, before noting that sponsors were sensitive.
Ogomoditse Keganegile: Since the COVID-19 lockdowns, I have lost touch with football.
This coming season, it will be important to do things right so that we may go back to the stadiums as supporters. Just like sponsors, we want a fine product that will force us to go to stadiums.
Galaletsang Gojammo: As the league starts, my expectation is that the BFL leadership should lure more sponsorship. The lack of good governance has the potential to chase sponsors away, so let’s do things right. ENDS
