Township Rollers accept a disputed suspension after match reports prevail over inconclusive television footage.
BONGANI MALUNGA
The Botswana Football League (BFL) has upheld Township Rollers player Tebogo Mogotsi’s suspension despite acknowledging that television footage was inconclusive on whether he received a yellow card against Extension Gunners.
Responding on 9 October to Rollers’ urgent review request, the BFL said it examined the referee’s report, match commissioner’s report and Botswana Television (BTV) footage from the 20 September match.
The footage did not conclusively show the caution, but both official match reports recorded Mogotsi as booked.
INCONCLUSIVE FOOTAGE
“While the footage captures the foul committed by the player, it does not clearly show the referee issuing the yellow card,” the BFL stated. It maintained that unclear footage alone could not overturn records supported by both officials.
“In light of these findings, the League’s review has not established sufficient grounds to amend the player’s disciplinary record on the basis of the available video footage alone,” the BFL explained.
Mogotsi’s suspension for the FNB Premiership match against Mochudi Centre Chiefs therefore stood, following cautions recorded against Morupule Wanderers and Extension Gunners.
DISPUTING THE CARD
In an 8 October letter, Rollers secretary-general Ofentse Mosekiemang challenged the second caution and sought an emergency review. “The Club wishes to dispute the recording of the second yellow as Tebogo Mogotsi never received a second yellow card on our game against Extension Gunners,” the club wrote.
Rollers said the disputed record risked unfairly excluding Mogotsi from the Chiefs match.
The BFL insisted the referee and commissioner had consistently recorded the caution and said the suspension would remain unless a competent authority ruled otherwise.
RELUCTANTLY AGREEING
Rollers declined a further protest, concerned about possible disciplinary consequences. Coach Oupa Kowa said the club had reluctantly accepted the ruling.
“We received unfortunate information suggesting that Mogotsi had a yellow card which we were not aware of because we don’t remember seeing it in the game. We have tried to investigate it internally but we ended up accepting it. I don’t recall seeing the yellow card being given but the consequences of us just jumping into this and it eventually turns out that indeed he was given a yellow card were going to be bigger for us,” Kowa said during the pre-match press conference.
Kowa said Mogotsi had been part of the plans for the Chiefs encounter and had travelled with Rollers to Maun during the international break.