In the midst of tension between the Botswana Football Association (BFA) top brass and the Botswana Premier League (BPL) Board, it is alleged that the football mother body is currently engaged in sponsorship talks without the knowledge of the latter.
News reaching Sunday Standard have unearthed that the BFA have appointed two marketing companies to deal with the BPL sponsorships.
However, it has surfaced that the arrangement did not go down well with the BPL Board which is in the dark about the recent appointments.
The predicament has opened a can of worms as it has emerged that the tender awarding was ambiguous and might force a sponsorship negotiations stall. While the appointment of the two companies is said to be concluded, it is said they are bound to be challenged as the tender procedures were not cordially followed. Close sources have revealed that a legal stand-off is on the cards with concern to the recent appointments.
“The sponsorship matter is sensitive hence the arising tension needs to be addressed delicately. The BPL Board has been disparaged and it seems they cannot let go with ease as they believe they are privileged to some decisions with regards to the sponsorship negotiations,” a source revealed to Sunday Standard.
It is said eyebrows were raised when a tender expected to be conducted by one company was extended to another to perform the same duties. “In this case it means the awarding of the tender may be illegal and might be challenged. Contrary to the tender document indicated, that it will be awarded to one company, BFA vice president Marshlow Motlogelwa awarded it to two marketing companies,” said a source
The matter under the spotlight in an emergency meeting scheduled for this weekend. BPL Board chairperson Rapula Okaile declined to comment much on the matter but confirmed that the BPL Board was in the dark with concerns to new development regarding the sponsorship talks.
“I am not in a position to comment much but we have not been involved in the sponsorship talks yet. The matter is still internal and our belief is that it will be dealt with accordingly,” Okaile told Sunday Standard.
For his part, BFA spokesperson Tumo Mpatane rubbished allegations that the BPL Board is not aware of the looming sponsorship talks. He confirmed that indeed two companies have been identified.
“We are in a process of finalising contracts for the two companies and I believe it is not correct that the BPL Board is not aware as the matter of engaging the duo was discussed at the previous National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting where the BPL Board had representation,” he said.
