…Buala Capital League 2023 Winners Left Empty-Handed
BY ELTON LONARATHA JNR
THE winners of the Buala Capital League 2023 (BCL23), which concluded last year, are still awaiting their rightful prizes, sparking concerns about football development in the Isabel Province. The league, hosted at the Jejevo field in Buala, saw eight teams compete for provincial glory, but the celebration has been dampened by delays and allegations of mismanagement.
According to a representative from one of the winning teams, issues surrounding prize distribution have been a recurring problem for football in the province. “Last year, the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) provided funds to Provincial Football Associations (PFAs) to host leagues in the nine capitals. The Isabel Football Association (IFA) formed a local organizing committee (LOC) for the Buala Capital League, promising medals, trophies, and cash prizes,” they explained.
However, the representative added, “after the league concluded, nothing happened.” This has left the top four teams lodging complaints with the IFA and the BCL LOC, seeking answers and much-deserved recognition.
Siza Ataban, the BCL LOC Coordinator, acknowledged that the LOC received prize money from the IFA President for the league winners. However, he revealed that the amount was reduced from what was initially promised, causing a delay in the presentation ceremony.
In response to these concerns, IFA President Lyndon Bako told SunSPORTS that the IFA had already provided the exact prizes to the LOC for distribution to the winning teams. “Unfortunately,” he said, “the LOC misused the cash prizes, and this has caused the delay in staging the presentation.” Bako further stated that the IFA had already purchased the trophies and medals and sent the cash prizes to the Chairperson and Secretary of the LOC, placing responsibility for the current situation squarely on the LOC’s shoulders.
As a result, the IFA has washed its hands of the matter, urging the LOC to sort out the issue. However, with no resolution in sight, the winners of the Buala Capital League 2023 continue to wait for their moment of recognition and celebration.
Meanwhile, the top four teams waiting to receive their prizes are:
1st Buala Warriors FC
2nd Maglau Talisman FC
3rd Kmaga FC
4th Koregu FC
