Dennis Keagile
9 January 2009
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At the Botswana National Sports Council, Dorcas Makgato Malesu handed over the chairperson's baton to Dr Daniel Tau. At football, David Fani dethroned Phillip Makgalemele as Botswana Football Association president while the 2007-08 champions re-wrote the history books of the country's football.
The Premier League also went through some transformation which gave birth to the Bosele Declaration. The management of the league has been taken over by a committee led by club chairpersons.
There was also the politically motivated 'constituency league', which, even if it is not managed by the football association, is a distraction to the overall running of football in the country. In fact, it is in conflict with the statutes, principles and rules of the world football governing body, the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA).
The drama and newsmaker of the year goes to Munhumutapa African Broadcasting Corporation and its chief executive officer, Oscar Kubara. For about three months, Kubara and his company kept the sporting fraternity spellbound with the promises of P60 million in sponsorship money which never saw the light of the day.
Thankfully, the Botswana Telecommunications Corporation, through its subsidiary 'be Mobile' wireless company, came on board with a whopping P15 million for three years.
But that was not the end of drama as there was a petition for a total blackout on media coverage by the privately run print media of anything to do with the Mochudi side following an altercation chairman, Ernest Molome, with a photographer from this newspaper.
And while the veracity and logic of this has not been debated or scrutinised regarding whether the private media was acting within its rights, the boycott however is still being enforced by the main stream news houses and will be one of the major issues on the table in 2009.
The government electronic media also had its own fight with the Premier League which resulted in a total blackout of media coverage of anything to do with Premier League football.
With all this, it would be better to dedicate 2009 to the implementation and fine tuning of policies formulated in 2008 as well as reconciling the differences cutting through the sporting fraternity.
The allowances announced by President Ian Khama have not gone well with some of the policy formulators and administrators of sport. Briefly, these changes have been rammed down their throats and the biggest worry is that they seem to go against some of the existing procedures, regulations and contracts already signed.
The sad news for 2009 is the loss of former Nico United Zimbabwe-born goalkeeper, Chrispen Nyamutambo, who died just on the eve of new year in his native country, in a car accident. Unfortunately, he had planned not to travel to Zimbabwe but apparently changed his mind. He was one of the few gentlemen of the game, especially that his death came a few weeks after the burial of another stalwart, Terrence Mophuting.
But if there is one issue that ought to be tackled immediately, it is the relationship between the Premier League and the media. There seems to be a misunderstanding on issues which could be easily resolved.
In 2008, it became apparent that the Premier League Committee needs a media liaison officer, or otherwise, a part-time media consultant. I am not sure whether this is part of the agreement it has with Pula Sports Marketing or not.
The media - sports journalists that is - will also have to be much more objective, professional and balanced because there is a fast growing perception that one has to bribe to get publicity.
It might sound frivolous but the belief seems to be spreading.
Sadly, for the second year running, Botswana will not have any representative in the CAF championships as both Botswana sides were willing to take part due to lack of funds. Perhaps this is where some of the money destined for constituency league and other allowances should be directed to.
The reason the national team is not doing well is because the players do not have much exposure and experience. Generally, this affects the entire football development in the country and it's not a matter that faces only one team. There should be assistance for international competitions as the costs are very prohibitive.
Nowadays a two-leg game needs at least P500,000 and it depends where the game is. Central, North and West Africa are the most expensive because to get to some countries, one has to travel via Europe.
But all in all, Happy New-Year, and let there be peace, reconciliation and progress.
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