The Botswana Premier League, together with be Mobile, club officials and other stake holders held a workshop on Thursday to discuss the league’s compliance manual.
The manual, which is a dictatorial code of conduct for all premier league teams, encompasses logistical protocols to be observed ahead of any premier league fixture. The manual has a checklist of items that must be fulfilled ahead of any game.
There is a phone checklist conducted no less than three days before the match date in which both an away team and the home team must sign a document separately.
The checklist includes an indication of named officials expected to attend the match, this includes both club officials, security issues that include security personnel, total number of expected fans, home and away fans, what section of venue has been allocated for away teams. This will prevent clashes that sometimes occur at the stadiums between opposing fans.
This also has in it a requirement that home teams should name representatives who will welcome the visiting team, the home team must also provide the weather forecast just before kickoff.
Other issues include confirmation of colours and team outfits that are in consistent with play rules and regulations. Three hours before kickoff, there will be a match meeting that will make the final check on most of the above items if they have been fulfilled.
This comes handy, especially when most matches have in the past started late because some finer things, like markings on the field of play, were not done, and even corner flags not placed. Thankfully there is also a feature for floodlights, whether they will be required at the match and who would be appointed to operate them.
Mostly, the checklist involves a list of events that should take place at specified times before kick off.
Sunday Standard sampled some of them: An hour before kickoff, teams shall supply the media with their lineups and formations. Like what is customary at international leagues, coaches will pitch up for pre-match interviews 30 minutes before the game; they are also expected to show up for post match interviews.
There is also a requirement that 15 minutes to kickoff, teams should have cleared the playing filed. This will avert the situation where games start late.
The manual also protects the rights of broadcasters who injected a P3.8 million into the league. Clubs will also, under the Marketing rights section, be expected to provide be Mobile with tickets 24 hours before a game as provided for by the contract.
