The Botswana Football Association appears to be slowly sinking into a crisis. There are several effective positions that have been vacant for some time and it seems there is not much will power to fill them.
Currently, the positions of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Technical Director do not have full time personnel.
The one of the Vice President (Administration) was filled just recently after being vacant for almost four months.
The CEO has been on suspension with full pay for almost seven months now. He was alleged to have been involved in bribery scandals that involved the Zebras against China late last year. A lot of money is reportedly to have exchanged hands.
Surprisingly, the BFA did not take the case to the courts but instead held what some people in soccer circles refer to as kangaroo hearings.
The hearings have long been completed and the BFA is not coming into the open to either reinstate Kgotlele or fire him.
People are also curiously waiting to see the verdict, which looks to give a litmus test to the BFA.
Currently Susan Monametsi is the acting CEO while Kgotlele is watching from the sidelines.
Former Zebras coach, Jellusic Vesselin, is the acting Technical Director meaning that his full time job of development structures is vacant and suffering.
People are wondering why Vesselin was appointed to act because there was ample time to look for a suitable candidate. The former Technical Director’s contract was not renewed and was given three months notice meaning that there was time.
On the other hand, the President of the BFA, Fani, told Sunday Standard that they were doing all they could to fill up the positions. He said it is only a matter of time before the vacancies at the association are filled.
“There is only one vacant position in the BFA which we are working around the clock to fill it. As you might be aware, the CEO is still suspended and we are still waiting for the report from the investigating team which will pave the way forward,” he said.
Fani added that they will receive the report in a matter of days. Regarding the Technical Director position, Fani said they are also still waiting for the report from the technical committee which will determine the ideal candidate.
Fani said they once received the report but referred it back because they were not happy with certain recommendations in it. He said they are now waiting for another one.
Fani could not elaborate on the recommendations they were not happy with. Efforts to get hold of the Vice President of the BFA (Technical), Dintle Mphele, were futile at time of going to press because his phone was set to voicemail.
