22nd June 2020
Own Correspondent
The Botswana Football Association(BFA) has revealed that the decision to suspend league games and declare a winner after playing two thirds of the game was taken collectively by 10 teams in the premier league, with two saying play, 2 abdicating their position to take a decision and 2 nullifying their vote.
It was a decision designed to protect footballers following recommendations of medical committee.
Monnakgotla Mojaki, Botswana Football Association (BFA) General Manager, said, “The National Executive Committee(NEC) in May commissioned the BFA medical committee to investigate whether it is possible to return to the ground and if so how will the lives of players would be safeguarded. The medical committee gave guidelines and highlighted that it was risky and expensive exercise to return to the field of play.”
He said, “According to article 18.3 unless stipulated to the contrary, the BFA season in every year shall begin during the second week of August and end during the last week of May, provided the season shall not extend beyond the second weekend of June, except in the event of force majeure or other circumstances not in control of the National executive Committee.”
According to officials various leagues around the world came to a halt which meant less or no physical activity for the players and the Botswana players were not left out.
Players had to adapt to a new way of normal as no crowing of more than two people were allowed along with physical activity outside the household. Many more sporting events throughout the world were also postphoned or can celled , including the 2020 Toyko Olympics, CONMEBOL 2020 Copa America and the UEFA Euro 2020, Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and respective leagues including the Botswana Premier League and its respective lower leagues on the 16th March 2020.
Botswana’s response to COVID-19 placed limitations on physical activity and hence the temporary suspension of football activities by the Botswana Football Association(BFA) on March 16, 2020 because football is a high risk sport given it is a contact sport, has a high rate of aerosol and mucosal spitting in training and in games, provided challenges to social distancing measures and the high crowd level precipitated by its large followers around the country.
Mojaki has maintained that cash strapped teams that were struggling to pay players could not meet minimum requirements demanded by BFA medical committee.
These requirements included equipping teams with screening point, screening masks, infrared thermometers, sanitization points, securing a trained medical doctor with a basic first aid certificate, to be present at all team trainings and games and disinfectant with 70% alcohol.
It also involved social distancing measures that were impossible to implement in a contact sport.
