Financial woes lead to BT Academy's demise

THE closure of BT Academy does not prevent the parents of the young soccer players who were recently stranded in Spain from pursuing litigation against the owners, says a legal expert. 

BT Academy came under fire after a group comprising under-14, under-19, and girls’ soccer teams were left stranded in Spain when return flights were not booked, despite each player paying R50 000 for what was supposed to be an all-expenses-paid trip to the Donosti Cup 2025.

So far, two parents have approached local police with fraud complaints, alleging that they paid the full amount for the trip but were never refunded for the unbooked return flights.

Police on Sunday confirmed that despite the closure of the academy’s doors, two investigations were still ongoing. 

“Be advised that two cases of fraud have been opened for investigation at Grassy Park SAPS. One will be investigated at Grassy Park SAPS and one will be transferred to Wynberg (incident happened in their policing precinct) for further investigation. No arrest yet, investigations continue,” police spokesperson, FC Van Wyk said. 

Carlton Adams, an attorney at The Adams Inc, said other parents can still either make a criminal case in terms of fraud.

“Fraud is the unlawful and intentional making of a misrepresentation which causes actual prejudice or is potentially prejudicial to another. So the main focus here is prejudice or potential prejudice. In this scenario, the parents paid because they were under the impression it was for a return flight. Meantime, it was just for a single flight, so that was a misrepresentation that was made, and the parents suffered actual financial losses due to the making of a misrepresentation,” said Adams.  

He added that in some cases, the court may issue an order requiring the accused to repay the complainant for a lesser sentence.

The court can mediate between the two parties, with the prosecution facilitating the process. Ultimately, in a criminal matter, the state has the authority to decide whether or not to proceed with or withdraw the charges. 

“Civilly, they can also pursue this person, in civil litigation, you want to be placed back into the financial position you were prior to this person making a misrepresentation to you. It’s purely about getting your money back,” Adams explained. 

Announcing the club’s closure, BT Academy chairperson, Brandon Timmy, said "a serious mistake" was made on his part in not booking the return tickets.

He said this was not the ending they had envisioned, but he was taking full responsibility for what had happened.

“It is with a heavy and deeply burdened heart that I write to inform you of the immediate closure of BT Football Academy. A serious mistake was made on my part regarding the travel arrangements for our teams participating in the Donosti Cup. Specifically, I failed to secure the necessary return flights for the players back to South Africa. This has resulted in significant distress for the affected families, and I take full responsibility. I cannot express enough how sorry I  am for the pain and disruption this has caused. I humbly and sincerely ask for your forgiveness.”

He said the financial impact of the incident had been severe and made it impossible for the academy to continue operating.  The group of coaches, who had been praised for both their performance at the tournament and their support of the stranded players, also resigned last week.

“To our coaches, both past and present, I extend my heartfelt thanks for your dedication to developing our players both on and off the pitch. Your tireless work has helped shape not only athletes, but individuals of strong character and discipline. To the parents, thank you for your unwavering support through both the highs and lows.

"Your belief in our mission gave us strength, and your trust in us was never taken for granted, And to our players, you are and always will be the soul of BT Football Academy. We believe in your futures and your potential. May you go forward with confidence and courage, achieving all that God has predestined for your lives. Never stop chasing your dreams and remember the values you learned here,” said Timmy. 

Cape Times