By Tshepo Molwane
3 December 2007
Giants, Township Rollers are likely to be dragged before the Botswana Football Association (BFA) Disciplinary Committee (DC) after an official of the club wore t-shirt advertising Orange cellular company during a Premier League match.
The official wore the t-shirt and sat on the Rollers' bench during the recent 3-1 loss to Extension Gunners at the National Stadium. The official is a medic at the club. Rollers have been barred from wearing Orange branded t-shirts by the DC because the Premier League is sponsored by Mascom Wireless. Rollers are sponsored by Orange, Mascom's competitors in the mobile phone business. It has been decided that the club cannot promote Orange in a league sponsored by a rival because it would create a conflict of interest.
Premier League Committee secretary-general, Setete Phuthego told Monitor Sport that they are still probing the issue. "I spoke to their (Rollers') chairman (Spencer Mmui) and he said that he was not aware such thing happened. If during our investigations we establish that indeed it was true, it means that the officials undermined the ruling of the DC," he said. Phuthego asserted that after investigations, they might take Rollers to the DC. Meanwhile, Rollers' managing director Somerset Gobuiwang told Monitor Sport that he is not aware that a club official sat on the bench with an Orange t-shirt. He believes that if it happened, it is regrettable because officials are aware of the DC ruling. "Since the ruling, we have not done such a thing. I am wondering if the spotlight is only on Rollers because recently Chiefs played with a kit which was not branded Mascom, and nothing was said. I think this is a plot by some journalists to try and destabilise Rollers," said Gobuiwang.
He cited the recent report about Rollers' players sharing a bottle of water during a match. "Some teams are continuing to share a bottle of water and nothing is said," he pointed out.
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