iT'S ALL OVER Botswana premier league decided as Jwaneng Galaxy bags title
An official statement by Extension Gunners on Sunday evening confirmed that a decision has been unanimously made by all Botswana Football Association structures to end the 2019/20 season and hand the championship title to teams leading the respective leagues.
A BFA National Executive Committee meeting was called on Sunday where the decision was reportedly made.
As it is, Jwaneng Galaxy have been handed the Premiership title as at the time the league was ended, they were leading the elite league with 41 points from 20 games; followed by Township Rollers and Orapa United at position 2 and 3 respectively with 40 points each.
The decision also means that Sun Flamingoes of Sowa Town and Masitaoka of Molepolole have been promoted to the Premiership since they also were leading their respective First Division regional leagues at the time football activities were halted due to Covid-19 on March 16. Sua Flamingoes lead the Northern First Division with 37 points from 18 matches,followed by Nico United who also have 37 points from 18 matches but have lower goal difference.
In the south, Masitaoka also leads the pack with 37 points from 18 matches while Mogodtshane Fighters follows with 36 points. These positions mean that Nico United will fight it out with Mogoditshane Fighters in a two-legged promotional play-off to determine the third team to be promoted to the premier league. Going down through relegation will be TAFIC, Miscellaneous and Molepolole City Stars who occupy the bottom three relegation positions.
Extension Gunners, who are excited to have survived the chop despite being docked 6 points for Club Licensing-related non-compliance, announced the news, saying it was a unanimous decision.
The club wrote: “All BFA football activities have been stopped amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Winners for all the football structures and activities have been unanimously decided and champions declared. Champions have been announced and promotional play-offs and relegation for the bottom three in each league log standing, have been declared, accordingly.
Despite the fact that Extension Gunners FC were dogged 6 points, the Lobatse side has survived the dreaded axe. Congratulations to our players and the technical team.”
The BFA President McLean Letshwiti had earlier this weekend announced through national television that they were incapacitated to adhere to FIFA instructions of testing players twice a week and sanitizing balls as well as disinfecting football pitches, saying the whole protocol would cost the association over P300million, “which we do not have.” A BFA statement also confirmed the decision, saying a task force will be assembled to workout the modalities of the promotional play-offs.
