- Bright expels Ditsile from Zebras camp for unprofessional conduct
- He is accused of smuggling alcohol and girlfriend into camp
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
Jwaneng Galaxy have revealed that they will take further disciplinary action against star midfielder Lebogang Ditsile for his recent actions that saw him dumped out of the national team camp. The former U20 midfielder, who signed for Galaxy at the start of the season following an unfruitful stint with South African side Highlands Park was over the weekend dropped from the national team squad set to face Burkina Faso this week in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
According to a letter leaked to the media dated 6 October 2018, it reveals that the player was caught on hotel CCTV cameras bringing alcohol and female companions to the camp ahead of the independence game against Namibia.
“The technical team of the senior national team (Zebras) had on 28th September 2018 called up Lebogang Ditsile for camp in preparation for an AFCON qualifiers games against Burkina Faso on 13th and 16th October respectively,” reads the opening part of the letter.
“Lebogang Ditsile had brought alcohol and female companions into the camp prior to the independence day friendly game against Namibia and this was confirmed by the hotel’s CCTV footage. Due to the player’s misconduct during the independence day camp, the technical team of the senior national team is compelled to drop the player. In virtue of this communiqué we wish to inform your honorable club we wish to retract his national team call up for the AFCON qualifiers game against Burkina Faso as the technical team cannot tolerate such behavior,” ends the letter.
The Botswna Football Association (BFA) Public Relations Officer (PRO) Tumo Mpatane confirmed the letter but would not be drawn into discussing the matter further. “We have written to the club on the technical team’s decision to drop the player, but we cannot reveal the contents of the letter, if it is the club that wishes to do so (reveal the details of the letter) , it is within their rights to do so,” Mpatane told Gazette Sport.
Galaxy chairman Kelesitse Gilika stated that they are yet to receive the letter. “We have not received the letter, or maybe if it had been sent, it is still in our mails and we have not seen it. We have only seen it on social media, remember that he (Ditsile) is still a young boy, he made a mistake and we also have to protect him,” said Gilika.
“Once we have seen the letter and discussed it as the Executive Committee, which should be this week, we will then take it from there and maybe take disciplinary action also against the player,” he ended. Meanwhile, Gilika also confirmed that coach Miguel Da Costa has suspended five players that reported late from the independence break. The players are Karabo Phiri, Lebogang Ditsile, Thero Setsile, Anthony Gouws and Gape Gagoangwe.
On Monday the player released a genuine apology in a statement released to the media. “Please allow me to convey my apology for what I did during the national team call up that resulted in me being dropped from the national team camp. My behaviour was extremely inappropriate. In future, I have every intention of curbing my thoughtless actions and learn to adjust my behaviour. The embarrasement I have caused to Galaxy is highly regretted. again, I am sorry for my actions,” Ditsile stated.