Botswana Football pay tribute to Bhamjee in memorial ceremony

Botswana Football pay tribute to Bhamjee

JOHANNESBURG, March 19 (ANA) – The Botswana Football Association (BFA) on Thursday paid tribute to its former president Ismail Bhamjee during a memorial ceremony, at the National Stadium, in Gaborone.

Bhamjee, who is also a former president of the Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa), died from Covid-19 on March 12.

BFA president Maclean Letshwiti said: “Bhamjee has set the bar very high for any Motswana to achieve his accolades.

“Having started as a referee in football, he meticulous worked his way up the ladder to the FA presidency, then Cosafa president, and serving in CAF and FIFA executive roles.

Letshwiti added the life of Bhamjee should be celebrated, and said the nation had been robbed of a true soldier.

Bhamjee together with Ashford Mamelodi setup vital structures at the BFA and improved coaching education in Botswana.

“It was his vision that footballed need a technical expert to move forward. Subsequently, the Zebras’ maiden 2012 Afcon [Africa Cup of Nations] qualification can also be attributed to his contribution.

“We are grateful to the Bhamjee family for allowing football to take up so much of his time, for the development the game in our country.”

Letshwiti said Bhamjee was a pioneer and founding father of Botswana sport, adding that his name was synonymous with football.

In his early years in Botswana, Bhamjee formed the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) along with his board that comprised of former vice-president, Mompati Merafhe, and current BNOC president Colonel Botsang Tshenyego to remember their founding father.

Current BNOC president Botsang Tshenyego also paid tribute to Bhamjee.

“I met Bhamjee as the BNOC President and we exchanged visions. At his age, he was still oozing confidence, ready to help anyway he could. He was a selfless man. An icon for Botswana.

“I encourage the secretariat of the BNOC, my board to patriotically give remembrance of our fallen hero.” – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman