Worry over boxers' without medical reports

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Correspondent | Tuesday June 17, 2008 00:00

Thingwane said there is a tendency of boxers taking part in competitions without medical records as per International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) regulations. He was speaking at the Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mogoditshane over the weekend. 

Thingwane is concerned that boxers put their lives at risk and blamed tournament organisers for allowing them to compete without medical records. 'We should always make sure that our boxers are fit,' he advised. He said medical history is a very sensitive issue and must be treated with care and urgency.  He wanted to know who carries the responsibility between clubs and the association when a boxer gets injured in a competition. He asked who is responsible for making sure boxers have regular medical check-ups.

In response, BoBA president Aldrin Tayane said the association is only responsible if a boxer gets injured while on national duty. Clubs are responsible for the boxers during the interclub tournaments. Tayane concurred that there has been a problem of some boxers taking part in tournaments without producing their medical reports. He said this was a result of unavailability of sports doctors in the country as the one that was employed by Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) has left after his contract expired. The new doctor is said not to have a work permit and until such a time that it has been processed, boxers will have to wait. Tayane told umpires to always make sure that boxers have medical reports and if not they should not be allowed to fight.

The boxing boss is worried that even where the doctor is available, it is not always easy to get him/her because he/she is used  by different sports codes. Tayane said boxing as a combat sport needs its own doctor. He informed the meeting that the association has requested BNSC to hire a doctor specifically for boxing.

In the financial report, treasurer Chigutshi Frank blamed affiliates, saying they are difficult when it comes to money matters. He said affiliates always want to take shortcuts when acquiring money from the association. But the affiliates later accuse the association of misuse of funds when things do not go well. Frank explained that BNSC gives them money directly or indirectly. He reminded affiliates to always keep receipts as proof of expenditure.

He explained that they have always had problems of people failing to produce evidence of how they spent the money. Tayane told delegates that he will not defend his seat in the next elections. At the weekend AGM, three executive members whose term came to an end retained their positions unopposed. They are: Charles Nkele (vice president, administration), Marx Nthusang (secretary general), and Phetogo Tsheko (competitions manager).