Unprecedent clash: One day, two meetings

For the first time, the Botswana Football Association (BFA) and the Botswana Football League (BFL) will hold their annual meetings on the same day. The unusual scheduling follows the collapse of the BFL's AGM last weekend after 11 clubs boycotted the meeting, forcing the league to reconvene. The BFL business is expected to be on the BFA general assembly agenda, but the Premier League body's matters cannot be discussed in the absence of its members.The overlap could have significant implications for key decisions affecting the domestic game. Amongst the issues is the proposed introduction of a rule requiring FNB Premiership clubs to field five youth players in their starting line-ups. The proposal was expected to be debated at last weekend's Botswana Football League (BFL) Annual General Meeting before being forwarded, if endorsed, to the Botswana Football Association (BFA) General Assembly for further consideration. Another contentious issue is the proposal to expand the FNB Premiership from 16 to 18 teams; a motion was widely expected to be defeated at BFL level. "Usually, motions or proposals are submitted to the BFA for consideration, and these are discussed and agreed upon at our AGM.Since the AGM did not take place, I think BFA's agenda remains open for us to submit any resolutions, should we finalise and close those resolutions tomorrow morning," acting BFL chief executive officer, Idah Moinisi said yesterday. Whilst the BFA, football's supreme body, discusses critical issues affecting the local game, there is a cloud over the BFL meeting. That only five clubs bothered to attend last week's meeting talks volumes about what might transpire tomorrow.However, as BFL board chairperson Sipho Showa indicated last week, the meeting, as per the constitution, will go ahead as scheduled tomorrow even if shareholders do not form a quorum. However, analysts argue the outcomes from the meeting will be compromised owing to the absence of a majority. The BFA general assembly agenda does not explicitly indicate if there are motions from the BFL. BFA president, Tariq Babitseng, has not publicly commented on the situation within the BFL, which was handed autonomy during the association's general assembly in 2020. Previous BFA administration threatened to revoke the autonomy due to leadership wrangles, and eyes will be on the BFA on Saturday.