BFA, ministry in cold war?
Mqondisi Dube | Saturday November 11, 2023 06:00
Reports indicate that BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti and Minister Tumiso Rakgare do not enjoy cordial relations. But in an earlier interview with MmegiSport, Rakgare and the BFA downplayed reports of a rift. “As for my relationship with the BFA president, we are good buddies. Both of us are in this to develop football so there is no fallout whatsoever,” Rakgare said then. This was soon after the appointment of South African, Senzo Mbatha as Botswana Football League (BFL) CEO, amid reports Rakgare was opposed to the move. Instead, he wanted the association to employ a local. “We are not aware of such allegations. We enjoy a cordial relationship with the minister,” the BFA chief executive officer, Mfolo Mfolo said. Rakgare is said to have overruled the BFA in the appointment of the national team coach last year. “Rakgare wanted the BFA to appoint (Mogomotsi) Mpote threatening the ministry would not support the association if it preferred an expatriate,” a source close to developments said. At the time, the BFA was eyeing a reunion with Serbian coach, Veselin Jelusic, but with the ministry being the main funder of the association’s activities, Mpote was employed.
The other flashpoint was the sidelining of the BFA during the failed 2027 Africa Cup of Nations bid. “The BFA felt the minister wanted to run the show to the association’s exclusion. Both parties had to feign and pretend everything was normal,” the source said. The BFA president was reportedly frustrated that the ministry was not prepared to fund some activities, including national teams. Last week, Letshwiti, during the introduction of the new Zebras coach, Didier Gomes Da Rosa to the media said the government had turned down a request to fund the Zebras coach’s salary. “We made a request but we were told there was no money. The BFA will have to scrap through to get the money to pay the money,” Letshwiti said.
Probably letting out his frustration, Letshwiti said government, and not the football association, should fund the national team. “No football federation in the world has the capacity to fund the national team,” he added. Letshwiti however, told the media that relations with the government were cordial. Both Letshwiti and Rakgare did not respond to MmegiSport inquiries on the issue at press time.