BFA secures funds for First Division

In the wake of the recent financial crisis for clubs, reports suggest that BFA and First Division sponsors, Debswana, have managed to agree on a P3.1 million figure which will be issued to clubs within the next two weeks. The funds are part of the grant which first division clubs receive from the mining company. At the beginning of the season, teams received their P50 000 grant from the BFA but that amount was for the 2020/ 2021 season which was not played, owing to challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

“First Division officials are expected to meet and send a request to us and Debswana and the money will be issued; the funds are already available. This money has been available because the grants which were given to teams were for the previous season; the current monies are for the current season, it should take a week or so and the teams would have received their dues,” inside informant from within the association stated. First Division clubs are still owed a reported P22 500 which they were promised by the association as part of COVID- 19 relief funds from FIFA.

“The relief funds are from FIFA, the Debswana grants have nothing to do with FIFA relief funds. The association has to find a way to pay the teams the relief funds; am not sure how that will happen but what I know is they’ll have to account to FIFA and show proof of transactions made to First Division football.” Debswana and the local football governing mother body have been working together since 2012 to uplift the standards of local football. Despite the announcement of a renewed partnership between the two organisations in 2019, neither the length nor the value of the deal has been communicated yet.

The Diamond Company decried lack of media coverage and Baboneng Television Production was roped in to save the situation but they also failed in their bid to broadcast the league which led to a subsequent termination of contract by BFA in October 2019.