Dubai-based Swedish investment banker and owner of Kenya's Wazito F.C, Ricardo Badoer, registered a new company as he plots to form a privately-owned sports league in the country.
Decrying the state of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and Football Kenya Federation (FKF), Badoer explained that he had decided to take matters into his own hands, stating that the new league would create many jobs for Kenyans, revitalize the sports industry and develop local talents.
Among other things, Badoer promised that four new stadiums would be constructed as part of the new league which will be administered by the company he registered as 'USL Company Limited'.
According to Badoer, the league will encompass 10 teams competing in the male division and 10 more in the women's division.
Badoer, whose Kenyan media company MadGoat TV secured rights from the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) to broadcast various games, also announced that the company would administer a basketball league featuring ten teams.
The flashy tycoon has on several occasions raised complaints over several issues including corruption and poor officiating that have marred the KPL and FKF.
In one post, he described the KPL as it currently exists as 'an insult to Kenyans'.
The newly registered company has Badoer as one of three directors, with the other two holding Kenyan citizenship.
Badoer might, however, face resistance from the FKF which insists on sanctioning all football competitions in the country.
A good example is Mathare United chairman Bob Munro's attempt in 2003, to start the Transparency Cup, a break-away league competition featuring 12 teams as he lamented corruption at the now defunct Kenya Football Federation (KFF).
In subsequent years, Munro's league was admonished by KFF with the backing of world football governing body FIFA as well as the government, forcing them to eventually return to the fold.
Badoer, however, disclosed that he had considered all these issues even as he admitted that it would take a lot of work for the league to become a success.
"USL will be a perfect package and that is what will bring fans to the stadiums in droves.
"We will have 10 teams to start with. Any team can join as long as they meet our requirements namely; own a stadium with at least 3000 seated capacity, financial transparency, and corporate structure.
"We are working on steps that will make sure the league will stay clean from cartels. I agree with you. Kenya has so many fans with so much love for football and sports in general, we just need better leagues and organisation," Badoer wrote.
