COVID drives up karate championship costs
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday February 12, 2022 06:00
The competition will be held in Francistown and Gaborone tomorrow. BOKA vice-secretary, Bose Caiphus said they have been running around looking for funds to host the tournament. He said if many karatekas had registered for the tournament, the registration fee was going to assist the association to pay service providers. Caiphus said they are aware that even after the tournament, some service providers will be paid after the event.
Around 20 clubs are said to have submitted their names for participation at the deadline time, which was Wednesday. Caiphus said the budget for the championship increased due to the expected adherence to COVID-19 hosting requirements. He said unlike before, they now need manpower to assist as SHE officers as well as the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). He said the venue should also be fumigated after every two hours. He said the budget is for the two venues BOKA hall and Francistown College of Technical and Vocational Education.
“The preparations for the championship went according to plan. The deadline for the submission was on Wednesday. This is a youth league and the athletes will earn points. We are going to have another event next month where both North and South will be battling it out in one venue,” he said.
He said the competitions will be used by coaches to select the national team. The national youth team will be competing at the upcoming Zone VI Karate Championship in South Africa scheduled for May 28.
Caiphus said the response has been positive from clubs despite coming out of COVID-19.
“There are some clubs that have not started training because they are still that cautious due to the virus. Even if we do not have good numbers, this is the beginning of the season,” he said.
Caiphus said the championship for the senior karatekas is scheduled for February 26. The competition will also be used for selection of the national team. He said at the same time they will be unveiling the new BOKA patron Kgosi Kgari III.