Relegated teams unhappy with BFA decision to end league

Portia Mlilo
UNHAPPY: Carlos Sebina

Relegated teams have not welcomed the decision taken by Botswana Football Association to end the league before completion.

The 2019/2020 season which was ten games away from conclusion has been on break since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March.

On Sunday the association announced that the National Executive Committee has taken the decision to end the season as it is.

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Jwaneng Galaxy FC are on top of the Premier League log table and have been declared champions while three bottom teams Miscellaneous, TAFIC and Molepolole City Stars were relegated.

Masitaoka who are leading Debswana First Division South automatically gained promotion to the elite league while in the North, First Division side Sua Flamingo were also promoted.

It was also announced that a committee will be formed to deal with the modalities of the promotional play-offs.

Nico United and Mogoditshane Fighters will battle for the third slot to the premier league in the promotional play-offs.

Speaking to The Voice Online, TAFIC Chairman- Carlos Sebina, said the BFA decision to end the league was too harsh.

He said they had a good chance to survive relegation with the remaining 10 games.

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The distraught Sebina said the NEC decision was an own goal by the current regime when it is left with only a month before the elections.

“This is a sensitive issue which needed thorough consultation. We are going to fight until justice is served. It is far from over. NEC only sent us a form with three questions and we could see where this was heading to. Their decision is wrong. Some teams stand a chance to finish in top 8. The best they could have done was to declare the season null and void and we start afresh next season,” said Sebina

For his part, Molepolole City Chairman Somerset Gobuiwang said as far as he knows, his team is still in the premier league.

He said he was busy consulting with stakeholders to map the way forward and that after receiving an official communication from the association, they will make a final decision.

“Why do we have promotional play-offs when we can’t complete the remaining 10 games? We will escalate the matter to other football structures and hopefully the decision will be reversed. Otherwise we will be left with no alternative but to take it to court,” said Gobuiwang

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