Letshwiti warns BFL: Shape up or we intervene

Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Monday October 10, 2022 16:00

The BFL is currently running as an autonomous body following a decision by the delegates at the 2020 BFA general assembly.

Speaking at the BFL general assembly on Saturday, Letshwiti came with guns blazing and lambasted the BFL and its clubs for unprofessionalism, which he said is the reason they are losing or failing to attract sponsors. “You cannot lose sponsors and blame BFA.

As we speak, the BFA still has all its sponsors being Orange and the First Division sponsors. It is you the BFL who are losing sponsors. And if you do not want us (BFA) to intervene, you must do something.

If you are not going to do anything about it, the BFA will ask you to go back and run your clubs and we will take over the transformation process of the BFL,” he said. Letshwiti also said the mother body has observed the behaviour of some of the clubs last season, which he said was an eye sore for every football stakeholder.

He further said if it continues like that, the BFA will be forced do the undesirable. The BFA president also said it is important that the BFL and its members conduct themselves in a manner that satisfies both the government and private sector. “Bad conduct by your members (BFL) is the reason sponsorships are running away.

And you as the board failed to take action. And as the BFA president, I am no longer going to watch from a distance. I will take action against you and you will have to take action against your members because these things tarnish our image,” he said. Letshwiti said he is also not happy with the pace at which the transformation of the BFL is going.

He said the transformation process was initially supposed to take three years and they have since learnt that it might go up to four years. He also said proper consultations were done prior to the commencement f the BFL league and that clubs were taken through the paces. “Recently we invited back UEFA. This UEFA support is very important.

They pay up to P15 million. The transition was to take three years and I am informed that it will now take four years. That is unacceptable. You are losing sponsors because of yourselves,” he said. Letshwiti also lambasted clubs over the Club Licensing requirement, which he said, like governance, is not negotiable. “Club licensing will be automated from next season.

We will not compromise. And we will judge without fear or favour. This is the second time we compromise with the judicial bodies and it is not going to happen again. I must be very clear,” Letshwiti said.

The BFA recently pleaded with the Club Licensing bodies to pardon five Premier League clubs, Extension Gunners, Mogoditshane Fighters, Eleven Angels, Morupule Wanderers and Masitaoka who had initially failed to meet the requirements. They were eventually given a second chance to correct and submit the missing documents and information. Letshwiti said this is going to be last time they compromise on issues of club licensing.