Football governing body, FIFA secretary general, Fatma Samba, has brushed aside complaints by some Botswana Football Association (BFA) National Executive Committee (NEC) members who had attempted to discredit the association’s president, Tebogo Sebogo.
The BFA NEC vice president Finance and Marketing, Marshlow Motlogelwa, and vice president technical Stephen Phetlhe had written to FIFA castigating Sebego’s style of leadership. The two, supported by five other NEC members, had written to the FIFA Secretary General raising 11 points that they punted against the BFA president.
“After a thorough analysis of the facts reported in your correspondence, which contained no supporting documents, we have to inform you that this seems to be an internal matter, which does not come under the remit of FIFA,” Samba replied.
Samba further explained that “as a consequence of the above FIFA is not in a position to intervene in this matter”.
In their letter Motlogelwa and Phetlhe accused Sebego of not allowing convene any meetings “irrespective of a quorum being formed”.
They further accused him of badmouthing the NEC in the media and technically using the BFA constitution to suit his personal interest to the detriment of football.
They also blamed the Sebego for contaminating the electoral process. “The NEC advised the president to hold an emergency meeting to enable it to appoint the electoral board to oversee the 2016 electoral process,” reads part of the letter.
In response to this the FIFA boss said: “We understand that in the meantime the NEC has finally managed to appoint an electoral committee and appeal committee, which will hopefully ensure a fair and transparent elections leading at the general assembly on the August 13.”
It is normal that in the build-up to the elections accusations, right or wrong, and FIFA has dealt with that before.
The grapevine has it that Motlogelwa is seeking re-election against Tariq Babitseng and Gabriel Ngele for the position of BFA second vice president position and FIFA’s cold shoulder gives a knock to his hopes.
When contacted for comment unfazed Sebogo said: “The whole intention was to discredit me not participate in the electoral process. They were driven by selfish motives as opposed to the principle of the developing the game. It is very unfortunate to have these kind of leaders in the midst of our football administration whose interest is to destroy others and only put energy on character assassination. That was the only desperate move they had and thought would go their way to eliminate me.”
