Players, administrators urged to fight for rights

FRANCISTOWN: Former Sua Flamingoes welfare manager, Pele Gaokgorwe has said he hopes that his victory will inspire other players and football administrators whose rights are often violated by their clubs to approach the courts for recourse.

When ruling in favour Gaokgorwe, Industrial Court judge, Christian Diwanga said the club informed Gaokgorwe in writing about the end of his contract in July 2021 and he was in the process paid pro rata wages for July 2021. He added that if indeed Gaokgorwe’s contract had ended in June the club would not have paid him pro rata wages and onemonth notice in July.

“The facts support the applicant’s version that his contract did not end on the 30th of June in 2021,” said Diwanga before ordering the club to pay Gaokogrwe his salary for a period of three months.

Now Gaokogrowe has said he hopes his recent court triumph will encourage other players and football administrators to fight the injustice perpetuated against them by their clubs.

“I hope my court victory will send a strong message to all the players as well football administrators that they should know their rights and challenge any form of injustice against them. Players and administrators often work in very worrying conditions. Their contracts are not respected but they are always reluctant to seek recourse at the labour department or the courts of law mostly out of fear of being persecuted,” he said. He added: “If players and administrators come together to fight for their rights, they will expectedly gain the respect of club owners.”

Football Union Botswana (FUB), a body representing the interest of local footballers, has also often expressed concern about clubs that mistreat players and have little regard for their contracts.

Gaokgorwe unceremoniously parted ways with Flamingoes last year.

The club maintained that its contract with him had ended in June 2021.

On the contrary, Gaokgorwe said his contract was supposed to run until the end of 2021. He then took the club to the Francistown Industrial Court, which ruled in his favour last week.

He had initially taken the matter to the labour department in Sowa Town but he did not reach an agreement with the club.

Players

and administrators

often work in very worrying

conditions.