09 May 2024

Centre Chiefs sporting club has been ordered to pay all statutory remittances to Botswana Football Association (BFA) for all the games played since week 10 being December 15, 2023 of the National First Division South League 2023/2024 season.

Centre Chiefs should reimburse to the league the over-charged amount of P5 per gate taking for the game played on December 15, 2023 against Prisons XI and other games that followed where set gate takings were exceeded.

According to papers filed before Botswana Football League (BFL) Chief Prosecutor Charles McErick, Centre Chiefs since December 15, 2023 in a league fixture against Prisons XI had been charging entrance fee of P30, exceeding the set fee of P25 by P5.

Making a ruling in Gaborone on Wednesday, he said the funds in question, resulting from excess charges in entrance fees should be remitted to BFA on or before 5pm on May 13. Failure to comply with the order, a point would be deducted for all matches where Centre Chiefs exceeded set entry fee of P25.

Additionally, should Centre Chiefs fail to comply with the order, they will pay P2 000 for every other match played where they exceeded set entry fee together with suspension from all BFA activities for a period of 12 months.

McErick also ruled that the chairperson of Centre Chiefs Victor Kobe was not conflicted to make representation before the panel of behalf of the club (Centre Chiefs) because of his position as board member of the BFL.

The decision follows a complaint before the BFL by the First Division South League (FDSL) Committee against Centre Chiefs emanating from the team’s failure collect match day tickets and further to remit the statutory 10 per cent remittance to BFA.

Centre Chiefs was also brought before the disciplinary panel for failure to abide by the resolution of the League Management Committee of setting the maximum entrance fees (gate takings) at P25 during the commencement of the 2023/2024 league season.

FDSLC felt that Centre Chiefs’ chairperson was conflicted to make representation or submissions for and on behalf of Centre Chiefs because he was a bona fide board member of the BFL.

By a letter dated April 11, 2023 from the FDSL on non-collection of match tickets and lack of remittance, Centre Chiefs was requested to remit the statutory 10 percent to BFL.

Further FDSL referenced the matter to BFA disciplinary code on deduction of points accumulated, and arising from misconduct of teams and imposing a fine of deducting/docking one point for every P2 000 owing.

The disciplinary code provision, which the FDSL decision was based on, states that; “…that in the case of default or failure to comply with decision within a period stipulated, points will be deducted or demotion to a lower division ordered.” On the other hand, Centre Chiefs is of the view that the FDSL has no capacity and has not yet been bestowed with any authority to either suspend and or reinstate the clear provisions of the BFA Play Rules and Regulations and in particular article 17.3, which provides that; “The host club shall be responsible for marketing the game, arranging security at the match, printing and selling admissions tickets.

The host shall keep all the gate takings after deduction of the ground levy, referees’ fees at rates determined by the National Executive Committee from time to time and other costs associated with the game…” ENDS