TAFIC Expects No Relief Funds

Allocation Changes

Francistown based side, TAFIC are expecting to receive the same amount of money as Premier League sides when the FIFA COVID-19 Relief fund is distributed among local clubs. Matjimenyanga, as TAFIC are affectionately known to their supporters, relegated to the lower division last season, together with Molepolole City and Miscellaneous.

There have been reports that the trio could receive the same amount as other clubs campaigning in the First Division, but TAFIC said that should not be the case. In the previous communication released last year, BFA NEC approved a total distribution of P1, 937, 500 for 16 Premier League sides. It also approved a total of P270, 000 for 12 Debswana First Division South teams and the same amount for Debswana First North sides. Each Premier League side, was to receive P121, 093.75 while First Division sides were expected to get P22, 500 each from the fund. However, there have been reports that new comers, Sua Flamingoes, Mogoditshane Fighters and Masitaoka will now be relieved at the Premier League level, replacing City, TAFIC and Miscellaneous.

“Our position is that we were incurring costs at the Premier league level, so it makes sense that we are relieved at that level,” club chairperson, Tebogo Toteng told The Monitor Sport. He however said they have not received anything from the Botswana Football Association (BFA) to suggest that they will no longer be relieved equally with Premiership sides. “We have not received anything official from the association on that matter. However, there was a recent FRAFA (Francistown Regional Football Association) meeting where this issue cropped up. There was talk that we will get the same amount as other teams in the First division and we said that cannot be the case,” Toteng said.

He also stated that they cannot be expected to be relieved as First Division side when they have not yet played a single game in the lower division.

He said they will wait to see what will happen and take it from there since there was a clear communication last year which stated how much they will receive. He said nothing should change. Efforts to get clarity from the BFA proved futile at the time of going to press as the Chief executive officer, Goabaone Taylor, had not responded to the questionnaire.