The FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) slapped the club with a ban over an unpaid debt to former player, Kudzanani Machazani. Mmegi Sport’s trace of events suggests that the player had taken Gunners before the FIFA in 2020 over a debt that at the time stood at P60,000.
On October 14, 2020, the FIFA DRC instructed the Gunners to settle a debt with Machazani within a 45-day period. The club was then banned from participating in three transfer window periods until the debt is settled. At the time, local football was on a halt due to COVID-19 and only resumed in November 2021.
Gunners were to miss out on the January 2021, the off-season (June–September), and the January 2022 transfer window periods. However, that depended on the club settling the debt with their former midfielder. In January 2022, the two parties agreed on a payment plan, however, the agreement did not have impact on the ban imposed by the FIFA DRC, as it did not see the settlement of the debt. Gunners on the other hand managed to sign and register players both in the 2021–2022 off-season and mid-season transfer windows.
Recently, Gunners officials told Mmegi Sport they were unaware of a ban imposed on them, as they did not receive any official correspondence from the local football authorities. A source close to the proceedings at the Lekidi Football Centre said Botswana Football Association (BFA) would be opening an investigation on why Gunners was allowed to register players and compete in the just-ended league campaign despite the ban. “I think the BFA will soon investigate what could have happened.
The details are a bit shallow at the moment so there is a need to get to the bottom of this and see what could have happened,” the source said. Mmegi Sport is in possession of a letter from the BFA reminding Gunners of the ban. As per the details of the letter, Gunners were reminded on November 23, 2021, and again on June 8. “It is a per as the regulations from FIFA that as member associations we need to write to our affiliates on any matters from FIFA on behalf of the (global) mother body.
That was the purpose of the letters the BFA sent to Gunners,” BFA chief executive officer, Mfolo Mfolo said. The matter could open a can of worms as Notwane are reportedly preparing to launch a protest and want the season to be nullified as Gunners were allowed to register players and take part in the just-ended league campaign. It is unclear if other clubs will follow Sechaba’s [Notwane] route in an effort to untie the Gordian knot.
