Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe
3 October 2008
Just days after unveiling a staggering P65 million sponsorship deal for local football, the Premier League Committee (PLC) is pressing panic buttons.
The alarm has been caused by government's announcement that eight of the 12 stadiums in the country will be closed for renovations in a week's time.
Previously, the government had said it has postponed the renovation of the stadiums to December this year and the sudden change of plans seems to have surprised everyone. Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) acting chief executive officer, Christopher Nkwe confirmed yesterday that they are moving out of their offices at the National Stadium to Blue Tree premises.
"We could have moved out end of September, but we were still fixing one or two things at our new premises. Now we can move out anytime. This is not our stadium. We are the tenants. Initially the government wanted to renovate it in June, then that plan was moved to September and then December now it has been revised," Nkwe said.
According to the government's new renovation programme, the National Stadium is scheduled for closure on October 14, after the national team's last 2010 World Cup/African Nations Cup qualifier with Mozambique. The University of Botswana Stadium will close after graduation on October 11.
Stadiums at Otse Police College, SSKB, Lobatse Council, Jwaneng Council and Galaxy are all scheduled for closure for renovation ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Sharing his fears on the Botswana Football Association (BFA) website, the Premier League Committe secretary, Setete Phuthego described the impending closure of stadiums as a very serious problem. In their contract with the new Premier League sponsor, Monomotapa African Broadcasting Corporation (MABC), 60 matches must be broadcast live and highlights screened on South Africa channel, etv weekly. But the renovations have now left the Premier League with a huge problem, as eight of the 12 stadia are unavailable.
Setete said they are looking at all options including playing more midweek matches, double-headers and using small venues. "It is a very serious problem. There is shortage of grounds around the country and it has been a mammoth task to draft fixtures. Shortage of venues not only is a challenge when it comes to fixtures, it involves many other things. At the beginning of last season, five grounds were not available and this number has now shot up to eight," Phuthego says in the BFA website.
"In Gaborone come October, we will not have a single stadium. We are optimistic that Molepolole Sports Complex will be available beginning October if not, then we will not have a ground in and around Gaborone.
The situation is so bad that Gaborone teams will be forced to play their home games at Itekeng, DH Moore stadiums in Orapa, Phikwe, Francistown and Masunga Sports Complex."
Phuthego fears that security will be a headache when it comes to big matches. "This does not help at all again if people travel long distances to watch games, which brings in another issue of road accidents and other road mishap." There are fears that when the Premier League teams start playing in smaller venues, the First Division will be affected.
The BFA CEO Tosh Kgotlele said yesterday that they have held two meetings with officials from the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture with the view to cause the government to stagger stadia closure. "We are continuing to talk to them.
We are proposing that the closure of the stadia be staggered, as opposed to being closed all at once as it is the government's plan. As you might be aware, the Premier League has just secured a lucrative sponsorship deal, which among others requires that 60 matches be televised live. We should not start on a low note."
Kgotlele told Mmegi Sport he remains hopeful that their discussions would bear fruit although no answer has been given yet. "The final answer has not been given. They are continuing to finalise tenders for the renovations. I suppose it is something that also involves the contractors to discuss how they can accommodate the Premier League during the renovations." The government director of Sports and Recreation, Falcon Sedimo was not available for comment yesterday as he was said to be in a long meeting at the Office of the President.
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