Botswana National Women football leadership’s hopes of starting leagues have been shattered.
It would appear regional leagues across the country are facing challenges that need immediate attention for the league to run smoothly.
Women football has been without leagues since 2019 and with the Covid-19 pandemic, sport activities were paralysed further.
Over the weekend, Botswana Football Association Regional Association was to start regional league competitions. The women leagues across regions are facing hardships. In Kweneng region the league could not take place because there were no match officials (referees).
“There were no referees because there is no money to pay them,” said Kweneng Regional chairperson, Lekgotla Raditloko. He also explained that the league could not start because all officials had assignments. “The Regional executive committee had agreed to pay officials for one week because the region cannot afford to pay for the entire league” said Lekgotla.
Lekgotla explained that the women football is being taken care of by the BFA hence the regions cannot cater for them. “The budget for match officials must come from the BFA,” he said.
BFA has since said it is bankrupt and hamstrung to undertake its activities. The Women Football activities are sponsored by FIFA. For this season, P5million for women football activities was deposited into BFA accounts by FIFA. The troublesome BFA has used the money in other activities other than women football.
In Kgatleng some games did not take place because there were no officials in other games. A supporter or passerby was used to officiate. By the time of going for press the BFA national executive committee women representative, Lobito Ncube had not answered questionnaire this publication sent.
Meanwhile, DCTB is sponsoring women leagues with P2.43 million for three years. The sponsorship includes women leagues and grassroots training in all three BFA 17 regional associations. The coming in of the DTCB as women sponsor revived hopes and every soul that associated with the women football had a sigh of relief that finally the women games will run smoothly.