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Botswana: FNB Rewards First Division Clubs
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
11 March 2008
Posted to the web 11 March 2008
Kenneth Banda
Selebi-Phikwe
The First National Bank (FNB) has rewarded Selebi-Phikwe clubs, which played in Division One last year.
The bank forked out P16,800 prize money to be distributed among the 12 clubs according to how they finished in the competition. Bottom-placed Eastern Sweepers took home P350, the same amount as 11th-placed McAlpine.
River Plate, who came 10th, went away with P400, P50 less than what ninth placed Motloutse got. Goston from Serule were placed eighth and got P550. Giant Aces got P650 for finishing seventh while sixth placed Guston United walked away with P850.
Phikwe Aces were P1,100 richer because of their fifth position, while Real Rovers were paid P1,600 for their fourth place finish. Third-placed JPS got P2,300 with second place No Mathata taking home P3,500. The winners, Peace Makers from Bobonong got P4,700.
FNB's sponsorship made a difference to the lower division clubs who usually play without any cash incentives. BFA Selebi-Phikwe region chairperson, Tebro Onkabetse said although lower division soccer did not have a sponsor, the association was engaged in talks with FNB to get funding.
He commended FNB for associating with the less glamorous Division One clubs, saying most sponsors shunned the league. A BFA official, Tshepo Mphoeng praised the bank for its sponsorship. "It is not all companies that respond positively particularly for lower division clubs. We have to commend FNB. It has made history," Mphoeng said.
She added that the bank has been in existence for only a few months in Selebi-Phikwe but it has done what its competitors have failed to do in the past. She urged clubs to conduct themselves in a professional manner to attract sponsors. She said sponsors would like to be associated with a clean product.
"I have heard that some clubs are involved in abusing match officials and other bad behaviour. This has the potential to turn away sponsors," Mphoeng said.
She said the sponsorship of the awards is a crucial step towards professionalism, which has to start at the grassroots.
FNB resources manager, Edith Molefhi said the funds came through the FNB Foundation which donated P300,000 in 2006 to BFA to support regional football. She said in supporting the Division One league, the FNB Foundation contributes to setting up a strong youth foundation for development at grassroots level which would lead to professionalism in football.
She said the average age of players at the division is 21 years and hence the competition has the cream that can be used for football development towards the 2010 World Cup.
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Selebi-Phikwe mayor, Amogelang Mojuta said the sponsorship is an encouraging development for football. "May be there is something that FNB saw in our clubs that led to this sponsorship," he said. The FNB Foundation administers the corporate social investment funs for the commercial bank. Since 2001, the foundation has made donations amounting to P12.5 million and assisted 81 projects countrywide.
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| Copyright © 2008 Mmegi/The Reporter. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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