OPINION: BFA SHOULD BRING BACK BOTSWANA FOOTBALL SOONER THAN LATER FOR PLAYER’s SAKE
Botswana Football Association (BFA) should restart the local football competitions particularly Orange FA Cup sooner than later. Following the coronavirus global pandemic, football is like many of the industries affected by the virus and subsequently, lockdown resulting in the ending of the league games as they are by the BFA and indefinite suspension of the beautiful game and unpaid footballers wages.
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a halt in the local game for over six months now and it seems like we have another six months to go as it is rumored that the game may begin around February 2021. This is a blow for the local game and athletes at large, in terms of fitness and the hunger for the game, one would wonder if they will come back the same.
TALKING POINTS
- Salaries are cut
- Bio Bubble model must be adopted
- Govt should help
- BFA should partner with hotels
PLAYERS SALARIES HAVE BEEN CUT AS A RESULT
The audiences have been shocked by news coming from teams about salaries being cut due to lack of action particularly big teams that are believed to be stable in finances. Township Rollers, Jwaneng Galaxy are few of those who have been surrounded by such news. With the much-needed return unpaid and cut salaries will be a thing of the past should football return.
One may argue that the return does not guarantee ticket sales anytime soon. The truth of the matter is that these competitions such as Orange FA Cup have monetary incentives to the participating team. Should it return it will come in handy for the participating clubs.
BFA SHOULD ADOPT A BIO BUBBLE MODEL FOR FOOTBALL RETURN
The return of the local football remains possible through BFA`s adoption of the Bio Bubble model. Thanks to this model, The Premier Soccer League of South Africa has just concluded.
The bio Bubble is whereby players are kept separately from the population. These footballers as they are kept away from the public will curb the possible spread of the virus.
What BFA should do is rent a hotel for all the teams participating. In this particular hotel away from the public testing must be compulsory for the players and staff.
In selecting a few playing grounds like the national stadium, Lobatse Sports Complex, Otse college, and others around the area.
This helps in terms of curbing the spread of the virus while the games go on because it is more like quarantine. The BFA can easily strike a deal with the accommodation providers if money is a big factor.
The model is cheap as there is no need for players to be tested every time before the game Other countries managed to continue their leagues in spite of the pandemic, the La-Liga, English Premier League, and others around the world also concluded months back. We have seen the UEFA Champions League also being concluded and other domestic cups in the English Premier League.
Why can’t we do the same as Botswana? Of course, the answer will be the money issue, but the players are suffering out there, the teams have neglected them and everybody is quiet about it.
PLAYERS ARE RUSTY AND LOSING INTEREST
Recently the Molepolole City Goalkeeper Bobby Mathe ventured into selling Herbal life products. Chances are that the game might lose him to that if it so happens he finds life in that. Others will soon find other alternatives or other means of survival leaving football the biggest looser.
The countries performance is already going down; the national team rankings have drastically dropped. One would wonder how far it will drop with the players being kept out of action for this long.
BUT SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND BARS ARE OPEN
The parliament is ongoing and they see nothing wrong with it, they are communing. The school kids are allowed to go to school, churches are opened and even the consumption of alcohol.
A game of football is only played for one hour 30 minutes and 2 hours is the time that people are allowed to meet. Press conferences are done by the ruling party everything else is moving except football.
BOTSWANA FOOTBALL FANS ARE HUNGRY FOR THE GAME
It is high time something is done before players switch on to something else in an attempt to survive. Before the love of the game departs from their hearts. Before the spectators lose interest as we are still struggling to bring them back to the game.
The BFA and the ministry must run around and see to it that the game is back to the people.
The situation is way worse than we think; they must stand up and stop the ignorance. If this has not been a priority, then it must be made a priority.
Nobody knows when this virus is going to stop. As they say, it may stay forever, we must learn to live with it.
Lives are at a standstill, they must go on and it is only when the leaders realize that and make decisions.
