- Babitseng signals possible decisive action after NEC consultations
- BFA awaits acting CEO’s report before deciding next steps
The Botswana Football Association (BFA) has finally spoken out about the growing crisis engulfing the Botswana Football League (BFL). BFA president Oabile Tariq Babitseng didn’t hold back his disappointment with the league’s leadership and shareholders.
Babitseng made it clear that the association is deeply troubled by what’s unfolding within the country’s top football administration. He warned that once the BFA National Executive Committee (NEC) reviews a detailed report on the crisis, decisive action could be on the horizon.
Addressing the media this week after the BFA General Assembly, Babitseng recalled how the BFA had restored the BFL’s autonomy, expecting the league to run as a united, professionally managed body. Instead, he said, recent conflicts have fallen far short of those hopes. “We are not happy with the state of the BFL,” Babitseng stated. “We uplifted the suspension of their autonomy because we wanted to unify football. This is not the leadership we anticipated.”
He criticized the behavior of certain shareholders and directors, calling it inconsistent with the responsibility entrusted to them when the league was granted greater independence. Babitseng emphasized that the BFA is still gathering facts before taking any steps, with acting BFL CEO Idah Moinisi due to submit a full report outlining the circumstances behind the latest unrest.
Adding to the complexity, the BFA has also received correspondence from the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) concerning the situation. Babitseng said he would first consult with the BFA NEC before making any decisions, hinting that the association might soon step in.
At the heart of the dispute lies a shareholders’ meeting held in Palapye last year, where a resolution was reportedly passed endorsing the voluntary resignation of the current board to allow for director rotation. Some shareholders now accuse BFL chairperson Sipho Showa of ignoring this resolution and clinging to the board despite what they see as a collective agreement to bring in new leadership.
But the leadership battle is just one piece of the puzzle. Financial concerns have taken center stage, with shareholders alarmed by a reported deficit exceeding P3.5 million and the failure to secure new commercial sponsors after key financial backers pulled out. Critics are demanding transparency on how the deficit arose and questioning whether the board has a viable plan to restore the league’s financial health.
Further controversy surrounds allegations that the BFL has stalled a forensic audit into suspected financial mismanagement. Shareholders claim that a previous board resolution authorized such an investigation, but the process has yet to move forward. The league’s money troubles have even hit daily operations – including delays in paying match officials and occasional late salaries for staff.
For many shareholders, this isn’t just an internal boardroom spat anymore. They warn that ongoing governance instability and financial uncertainty threaten the credibility of Botswana’s premier football competition. For the BFA, the priority remains to get all the facts straight before deciding how far to intervene. Babitseng’s comments, though, are the clearest sign yet that the national football body is ready to take action.
With the BFA NEC preparing to review the issue and the acting CEO’s report expected to shed more light, the Showa-led administration faces mounting pressure over its handling of the league. The coming weeks could be pivotal; not just for the future of the BFL board, but for the stability and reputation of Botswana’s professional football system as a whole.