The Botswana Football Association (BFA) and the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) recently met to discuss the Return To Play Plan, aimed at courting government to allow for the safe return of football under the prevailing covid-19 pandemic.  The virtual meeting took place via Microsoft Teams this past Wednesday, 28th April 2021. 
 
At the meeting the BFA led by Mr. Tico Kamati, made a presentation to the BNSC on how the BFA will return to play and also demonstrated how the resumption of training will be conducted in a phased approach, including how training will be organized in line with the BFA Return to Play Guidelines.
 
This plan covers as well, how Testing will be conducted during training sessions, and on match days to ensure the safety of all against the prevailing circumstances. Furthermore, the BFA presented their case to show that football revenue across the value chain in Botswana sits at about P55 million employing approximately 3, 000 people directly, and 9, 000 indirectly – a relation to how they connect to football activities. The BFA further showed the impact that the covid-19 pandemic has had on the footballing economy and mostly on the physical fitness and mental health of the players. 
 
The BFA highlighted that if football continues to be inactive, the situation will continue to deteriorate with far worse repercussions that will have a great impact on the mental health of the players in the long term. The Botswana FA also highlighted how the return to football will greatly contribute to the resuscitation of complementary industries within the football value chain, among them the media, equipment, infrastructure, accounting services, medical and all other ancillary support services.

BFA CEO Taylor

This submission, it is expected, will be taken up by the BNSC for presentation and consideration for approval by Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development  (MYSC), to allow football activities to return to the pitch. The BFA further assures the football community  that it will continue engaging all the relevant structures in its endeavour to return football under a safe and secure environment which will not negatively affect players, supporters, and other stakeholders involved in the game.
 
As alluded to in previous communication, the BFA has and will continue deploying all possible measures which can assist in the safe return of footballing activities. The BFA wishes to reassure its stakeholders that as and when there are new developments in the ongoing discussions with the relevant authorities, such information will be shared with all relevant parties. We wish to urge all football lovers to come together at this difficult time and assist one another by complying to the set covid-19 guidelines.
 
“We remain optimistic that our efforts shall bear fruits in the near future and that football activities will return soon. Let’s continue adhering to all the covid-19 protocols because together we can,” said the BFA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Goabaone G. Taylor.