Opinion| The Issue with Football Pitch In BetKing Ethiopian Premier League Must be Addressed Immediately

The BetKing Ethiopian Premier League has reached match day 17 but only one game took place during the last couple of days. The reason was the condition of the pitch at Diredawa Stadium ( putting the commonly used international tag wouldn’t be suitable here). Due to heavy rain the pitch has become unplayable and the games have started to look nothing like a football match.

In these conditions it’s clear that neither passing nor shooting is possible. The players will be covered in mud from head to toe and forced to spend more energy than necessary to try and play. Even worse playing under such circumstances can expose the players to injury.

The Premier League company decided on Monday to call off the rest of Match Day 17 fixtures. The league will resume in a different city after the international break following Ethiopian national team’s games against Guinea.

The decision to postpone the games looks like the right call but more should be done to insure quality of playing pitch is in keeping with the standard.

The national team has already been a victim of lack of a stadium that meets the standards set by CAF and as such being forced to play home games away from home ( the latest ‘home game’ will be held in Morocco). And now clubs are being burdened financially because of games not taking place as expected. Furthermore, the fact that the league games are supposed to be shown live on DSTV but aren’t is also another headache for the league company and clubs alike.

Issues with playing pitch should be addressed immediately. The financial repercussions it can have in the league is immense. In addition to that it’s putting the legitimacy of the whole competition under huge question mark.

The Ethiopian Football Federation, Ministry of Sports and Regional Sports Ministers should work together and efficiently to address this issue. Otherwise all the positive strides this league has taken in terms of broadcasting rights, sponsorship and viewership will go down the drain.

EthPL

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Round 1
1 Oct 2023 15:00
ADA
0
0
CBE
1 Oct 2023 18:00
SID
0
1
BUN
2 Oct 2023 15:00
SHA
0
1
WOD
2 Oct 2023 18:00
HAM
1
2
DIR
3 Oct 2023 15:00
HAW
3
3
FSK
3 Oct 2023 18:00
HOS
2
3
MEC
4 Oct 2023 15:00
KDG
4
1
WOL
4 Oct 2023 18:00
EIC
3
2
BDR
Round 2
12 Oct 2023 15:00
DIR
0
1
BUN
12 Oct 2023 18:00
CBE
1
0
HOS
13 Oct 2023 15:00
HAM
1
2
KDG
13 Oct 2023 18:00
FSK
1
1
EIC
14 Oct 2023 15:00
WOL
1
1
SID
14 Oct 2023 18:00
WOD
0
1
ADA
15 Oct 2023 15:00
BDR
2
1
MEC
15 Oct 2023 18:00
SHA
0
1
HAW
Round 3
19 Oct 2023 15:00
EIC
0
1
WOD
19 Oct 2023 18:00
SID
0
1
FSK
20 Oct 2023 15:00
HOS
0
0
WOL
20 Oct 2023 18:00
KDG
3
2
SHA
21 Oct 2023 15:00
MEC
1
1
CBE
21 Oct 2023 18:00
HAW
0
0
DIR
22 Oct 2023 15:00
ADA
2
2
HAM
22 Oct 2023 18:00
BUN
2
2
BDR
Round 4
25 Oct 2023 15:00
SHA
1
3
SID
25 Oct 2023 18:00
DIR
2
3
CBE
26 Oct 2023 15:00
HAW
0
0
EIC
26 Oct 2023 18:00
WOL
0
3
BDR
27 Oct 2023 18:00
KDG
2
2
ADA
28 Oct 2023 15:00
HAM
0
0
HOS
28 Oct 2023 15:00
FSK
2
0
BUN
28 Oct 2023 18:00
WOD
0
1
MEC
Round 5
31 Oct 2023 15:00
HOS
0
0
SHA
31 Oct 2023 18:00
CBE
2
0
WOL
1 Nov 2023 15:00
ADA
2
1
DIR
1 Nov 2023 18:00
MEC
1
0
HAM
2 Nov 2023 15:00
SID
0
1
HAW
2 Nov 2023 18:00
EIC
0
3
KDG
3 Nov 2023 15:00
BDR
0
0
FSK
3 Nov 2023 18:00
BUN
2
2
WOD
Round 6
7 Dec 2023 15:00
DIR
1
1
WOD
7 Dec 2023 18:00
HAM
0
3
FSK
8 Dec 2023 15:00
EIC
0
1
MEC
8 Dec 2023 18:00
SHA
0
1
WOL
9 Dec 2023 15:00
KDG
1
2
BDR
9 Dec 2023 18:00
SID
0
0
HOS
10 Dec 2023 15:00
ADA
2
1
BUN
10 Dec 2023 18:00
HAW
0
3
CBE
Round 7
7 Dec 2023 15:00
WOL
1
0
HAM
7 Dec 2023 18:00
FSK
0
2
WOD
8 Dec 2023 15:00
MEC
2
1
ADA
8 Dec 2023 18:00
BDR
2
1
HAW
9 Dec 2023 15:00
BUN
1
0
KDG
Postponed
9 Dec 2023 18:00
HOS
1
1
EIC
10 Dec 2023 15:00
CBE
2
1
SHA
10 Dec 2023 18:00
SID
0
2
DIR
Round 8
14 Dec 2023 15:00
HAW
0
3
KDG
14 Dec 2023 18:00
WOL
0
2
MEC
15 Dec 2023 15:00
FSK
1
2
HOS
15 Dec 2023 18:00
DIR
1
2
BDR
16 Dec 2023 15:00
CBE
2
1
BUN
16 Dec 2023 18:00
HAM
0
2
EIC
17 Dec 2023 15:00
WOD
1
4
SID
17 Dec 2023 18:00
SHA
1
1
ADA
Round 9
3 Jan 2024 15:00
EIC
0
1
SID
3 Jan 2024 18:00
ADA
0
1
HOS
4 Jan 2024 15:00
SHA
0
0
BDR
4 Jan 2024 18:00
KDG
1
1
MEC
5 Jan 2024 15:00
DIR
0
3
FSK
5 Jan 2024 18:00
HAW
1
2
BUN
6 Jan 2024 15:00
HAM
0
2
CBE
6 Jan 2024 18:00
WOD
2
1
WOL
Round 10
9 Jan 2024 15:00
BUN
1
1
SHA
9 Jan 2024 18:00
SID
0
0
ADA
10 Jan 2024 15:00
MEC
2
1
HAW
10 Jan 2024 18:00
HOS
0
0
KDG
11 Jan 2024 15:00
EIC
1
2
DIR
11 Jan 2024 18:00
BDR
0
0
HAM
12 Jan 2024 15:00
WOL
0
1
FSK
12 Jan 2024 18:00
CBE
0
1
WOD
Round 11
15 Jan 2024 15:00
BUN
1
1
HOS
15 Jan 2024 18:00
BDR
0
2
SID
16 Jan 2024 15:00
WOD
1
2
HAW
16 Jan 2024 18:00
WOL
0
0
ADA
17 Jan 2024 15:00
DIR
1
3
MEC
17 Jan 2024 18:00
CBE
4
1
EIC
18 Jan 2024 15:00
HAM
0
3
SHA
18 Jan 2024 18:00
FSK
0
1
KDG
Round 12
25 Jan 2024 15:00
EIC
1
1
SHA
25 Jan 2024 18:00
MEC
0
0
FSK
26 Jan 2024 16:00
BDR
1
2
CBE
26 Jan 2024 19:00
ADA
3
2
HAW
27 Jan 2024 16:00
KDG
0
3
DIR
27 Jan 2024 19:00
SID
0
2
HAM
28 Jan 2024 15:00
BUN
1
0
WOL
28 Jan 2024 18:00
HOS
1
1
WOD
Round 13
1 Feb 2024 15:00
WOD
1
0
HAM
1 Feb 2024 18:00
CBE
0
3
KDG
2 Feb 2024 15:00
HOS
0
0
DIR
2 Feb 2024 18:00
BUN
3
0
EIC
3 Feb 2024 15:00
MEC
2
1
SID
3 Feb 2024 18:00
BDR
1
2
ADA
4 Feb 2024 15:00
WOL
1
2
HAW
4 Feb 2024 18:00
FSK
2
0
SHA
Round 14
8 Feb 2024 15:00
SID
2
1
CBE
8 Feb 2024 18:00
MEC
0
4
BUN
9 Feb 2024 15:00
HOS
1
0
BDR
9 Feb 2024 18:00
HAW
2
0
HAM
10 Feb 2024 15:00
ADA
1
1
FSK
10 Feb 2024 18:00
SHA
1
1
DIR
11 Feb 2024 15:00
KDG
1
1
WOD
11 Feb 2024 18:00
EIC
0
0
WOL
Round 15
15 Feb 2024 15:00
ADA
2
2
EIC
15 Feb 2024 18:00
HAM
0
0
BUN
16 Feb 2024 15:00
KDG
1
0
SID
16 Feb 2024 18:00
FSK
2
4
CBE
17 Feb 2024 15:00
WOD
0
1
BDR
17 Feb 2024 18:00
SHA
0
1
MEC
18 Feb 2024 15:00
HAW
1
1
HOS
18 Feb 2024 18:00
DIR
1
0
WOL
Round 16
29 Feb 2024 16:00
BDR
0
0
EIC
29 Feb 2024 19:00
DIR
1
0
HAM
1 Mar 2024 16:00
MEC
2
3
HOS
1 Mar 2024 19:00
FSK
2
1
HAW
2 Mar 2024 16:00
WOL
0
2
KDG
2 Mar 2024 19:00
WOD
1
2
SHA
3 Mar 2024 16:00
BUN
3
0
SID
3 Mar 2024 19:00
CBE
4
1
ADA
Round 17
7 Mar 2024 16:00
HAW
3
1
SHA
7 Mar 2024 19:00
MEC
0
1
BDR
8 Mar 2024 16:00
ADA
1
1
WOD
8 Mar 2024 19:00
SID
0
0
WOL
9 Mar 2024 16:00
EIC
0
2
FSK
9 Mar 2024 19:00
KDG
3
1
HAM
10 Mar 2024 16:00
HOS
0
0
CBE
10 Mar 2024 19:00
BUN
1
2
DIR
Round 18
14 Mar 2024 16:00
BDR
3
1
BUN
14 Mar 2024 19:00
HAM
0
3
ADA
15 Mar 2024 16:00
DIR
1
3
HAW
15 Mar 2024 19:00
CBE
0
2
MEC
16 Mar 2024 16:00
SHA
0
2
KDG
16 Mar 2024 19:00
WOL
0
0
HOS
17 Mar 2024 16:00
FSK
2
2
SID
17 Mar 2024 19:00
WOD
2
2
EIC
Round 19
28 Mar 2024 16:00
MEC
1
0
WOD
28 Mar 2024 19:00
BUN
1
1
FSK
29 Mar 2024 16:00
ADA
-
-
KDG
29 Mar 2024 19:00
HOS
-
-
HAM
30 Mar 2024 16:00
BDR
-
-
WOL
30 Mar 2024 19:00
EIC
-
-
HAW
31 Mar 2024 16:00
CBE
-
-
DIR
31 Mar 2024 19:00
SID
-
-
SHA
Round 20
4 Apr 2024 16:00
WOL
-
-
WOD
4 Apr 2024 19:00
CBE
-
-
HAM
5 Apr 2024 16:00
BUN
-
-
HAW
5 Apr 2024 19:00
FSK
-
-
DIR
6 Apr 2024 16:00
MEC
-
-
KDG
6 Apr 2024 19:00
BDR
-
-
SHA
7 Apr 2024 16:00
HOS
-
-
ADA
7 Apr 2024 19:00
SID
-
-
EIC
Round 21
11 Apr 2024 16:00
CBE
-
-
HAW
11 Apr 2024 19:00
WOD
-
-
DIR
12 Apr 2024 16:00
FSK
-
-
HAM
12 Apr 2024 19:00
BDR
-
-
KDG
13 Apr 2024 16:00
WOL
-
-
SHA
13 Apr 2024 19:00
MEC
-
-
EIC
14 Apr 2024 16:00
HOS
-
-
SID
14 Apr 2024 19:00
BUN
-
-
ADA
Round 22
18 Apr 2024 16:00
WOL
-
-
EIC
18 Apr 2024 19:00
BDR
-
-
HOS
19 Apr 2024 16:00
HAM
-
-
HAW
19 Apr 2024 19:00
FSK
-
-
ADA
20 Apr 2024 16:00
DIR
-
-
SHA
20 Apr 2024 19:00
WOD
-
-
KDG
21 Apr 2024 16:00
BUN
-
-
MEC
21 Apr 2024 19:00
CBE
-
-
SID
Round 23
2 May 2024 16:00
ADA
-
-
SHA
2 May 2024 19:00
BDR
-
-
DIR
3 May 2024 16:00
EIC
-
-
HAM
3 May 2024 19:00
BUN
-
-
CBE
4 May 2024 16:00
SID
-
-
WOD
4 May 2024 19:00
HOS
-
-
FSK
5 May 2024 16:00
MEC
-
-
WOL
5 May 2024 19:00
KDG
-
-
HAW
Round 24
9 May 2024 16:00
FSK
-
-
BDR
9 May 2024 19:00
DIR
-
-
ADA
10 May 2024 16:00
KDG
-
-
EIC
10 May 2024 19:00
WOL
-
-
CBE
11 May 2024 16:00
HAW
-
-
SID
11 May 2024 19:00
WOD
-
-
BUN
12 May 2024 16:00
SHA
-
-
HOS
12 May 2024 19:00
HAM
-
-
MEC
Round 25
16 May 2024 16:00
WOD
-
-
CBE
16 May 2024 19:00
FSK
-
-
WOL
17 May 2024 16:00
HAM
-
-
BDR
17 May 2024 19:00
DIR
-
-
EIC
18 May 2024 16:00
KDG
-
-
HOS
18 May 2024 19:00
HAW
-
-
MEC
19 May 2024 16:00
ADA
-
-
SID
19 May 2024 19:00
SHA
-
-
BUN
Round 26
23 May 2024 16:00
WOL
-
-
DIR
23 May 2024 19:00
EIC
-
-
ADA
24 May 2024 16:00
MEC
-
-
SHA
24 May 2024 19:00
BDR
-
-
WOD
25 May 2024 16:00
CBE
-
-
FSK
25 May 2024 19:00
SID
-
-
KDG
26 May 2024 16:00
BUN
-
-
HAM
26 May 2024 19:00
HOS
-
-
HAW
Round 27
30 May 2024 16:00
CBE
-
-
BDR
30 May 2024 19:00
WOL
-
-
BUN
31 May 2024 16:00
FSK
-
-
MEC
31 May 2024 19:00
DIR
-
-
KDG
1 Jun 2024 16:00
HAW
-
-
ADA
1 Jun 2024 19:00
HAM
-
-
SID
2 Jun 2024 16:00
WOD
-
-
HOS
2 Jun 2024 19:00
SHA
-
-
EIC
Round 28
13 Jun 2024 16:00
SHA
-
-
FSK
13 Jun 2024 19:00
HAW
-
-
WOL
14 Jun 2024 16:00
ADA
-
-
BDR
14 Jun 2024 19:00
DIR
-
-
HOS
15 Jun 2024 16:00
EIC
-
-
BUN
15 Jun 2024 19:00
SID
-
-
MEC
16 Jun 2024 16:00
KDG
-
-
CBE
16 Jun 2024 19:00
HAM
-
-
WOD
Round 29
20 Jun 2024 16:00
HAW
-
-
BDR
20 Jun 2024 19:00
ADA
-
-
MEC
21 Jun 2024 16:00
DIR
-
-
SID
21 Jun 2024 19:00
HAM
-
-
WOL
22 Jun 2024 16:00
EIC
-
-
HOS
22 Jun 2024 19:00
KDG
-
-
BUN
23 Jun 2024 16:00
WOD
-
-
FSK
23 Jun 2024 19:00
SHA
-
-
CBE
Round 30
27 Jun 2024 16:00
KDG
-
-
FSK
27 Jun 2024 19:00
SHA
-
-
HAM
28 Jun 2024 16:00
EIC
-
-
CBE
28 Jun 2024 19:00
MEC
-
-
DIR
29 Jun 2024 16:00
ADA
-
-
WOL
29 Jun 2024 19:00
HAW
-
-
WOD
30 Jun 2024 06:00
SID
-
-
BDR
30 Jun 2024 19:00
HOS
-
-
BUN

Standing Table

#
Club
P
W
D
L
Pt
1
19
12
3
4
39
2
18
11
4
3
37
3
18
11
3
4
36
4
19
8
7
4
31
5
19
8
6
5
30
6
18
8
5
5
29
7
18
6
9
3
27
8
18
7
4
7
25
9
18
7
4
7
25
10
18
4
12
2
24
11
19
6
6
7
24
12
18
5
5
8
20
13
18
2
8
8
14
14
18
2
6
10
12
15
18
2
6
10
12
16
18
1
4
13
7

Top scorers chart

#
Player
Played
Goals
1
Hawassa Ketema
18
10
2
Kidus Giorgis
10
8
3
Ethiopia Bunna
14
8
4
Kidus Giorgis
15
8
5
Wolaitta Dicha
16
8
6
16
8
7
Diredawa Ketema
17
8
8
Fasil Kenema
18
8
9
Adama Ketema
17
7
10
Bahir Dar Ketema
17
7

2023/24 Competitions

competition logo
CAF Champions League
competition logo
CAF Confederation Cup
competition logo
Ethiopian Cup
competition logo
Ethiopian Higher League
competition logo
Ethiopian League 1
competition logo
Ethiopian Premier League
competition logo
Ethiopian U-20 Premier League
competition logo
Ethiopian Women's Higher League
competition logo
Ethiopian Womens Premier League
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