Peace eludes karate
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday January 28, 2023 06:00
One would have thought that the meeting would mark the beginning of transition to peace for the troubled sport.
Karate has been dragged before the Sport Disciplinary Committee for the recent shenanigans and judgement is expected to be delivered soon. The sport has been marred in controversy for a long time, with suspensions within the executive committee being the order of the day.
The Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) chief executive officer (CEO), Tuelo Serufho confirmed to Mmegi Sport that karate has appeared before the committee. “I can confirm that karate has appeared before the disciplinary committee, which is an independent body from the BNSC. The preliminary hearing was held three weeks ago. They appeared twice and the substantive hearing was held on Monday.
Judgement will be delivered after the last hearing, which will be held this week,” he said. When pressed further, Serufho said he was not comfortable with divulging information on a matter that is before the disciplinary committee. He said they had to respond to a letter from World Karate Federation (WKF) in which they wanted to know who was in office. “We liaised with the Registrar of Societies and according to the documents we got, there was an interim committee led by Mpho Bakwadi,” Serufho added.
The new executive committee is expected to put its ducks in a row but for now peace remains elusive. Aggrieved member, Sam Dire has come out guns blazing. In a strong worded statement, Dire declares he is still the vice president-administration. “The special general meeting that passed a motion of no confidence against the executive committee was called by a single suspended member, which is illegal. As if that was not enough, they went on to have a meeting without the executive committee. The BOKA constitution states that a general assembly is made up of the executive committee and delegates. The committee was in Jwaneng for the karate league and those who attended the illegal meeting had also sent teams and officials to the championship,” Dire said in the letter.
He said it is was sad to realise an illegal structure called a meeting and continued with it while a quorum was not formed. According to Dire, BOKA has nine members and only five attended, when a quorum for the meeting should be six. Dire argued that accusing Tshepho Bathai of using funds for personal benefits is false. “He is accused of paying BOKA funds to Adventure Soul, which the interim committee says it was his private affair.
The executive committee held a retreat there for two days.
Bathai is also accused of spending P1,800 branding medals for Lobatse Sports Festival, thus is also untrue. This was for branding Kgosi Kgari Sechele Championship and the service provider was sourced by Bose Caiphus,” the letter reads. Dire said BOKA funds were not spent on Lobatse Sports Festival but rather the Lobatse Karate Open Championship, which was common practice for the association to sponsor affiliates activities.
He added that the delegates cannot expel Bathai from karate without a hearing and individuals are not affiliated to BOKA. Dire said the disciplinary committee is the only structure that acts as a tribunal. He also accused the BNSC of interfering in the sport by writing a letter to WKF and conducting elections over the weekend adding that the Bathai-led committee remains legitimate. “We have never recognised the so-called interim committee. The BNSC owes us an explanation.
I spoke several times with Bakwadi to engage to avoid a toxic situation because we need each other for the growth of the sport. He was slippery, not in agreement and not refusing,” Dire later told Mmegi Sport. When asked if they might decide to go the legal route, Dire said everything is possible at this stage but the best thing is to engage and find an amicable solution. But in a comment, Bakwadi dismissed Dire as an attention seeker and said to blame BNSC for their mess, is unfortunate. “We will not condone indiscipline. We will not allow people who bring karate into disrepute get away with it.
For him to say he is the still vice president-administration is unfortunate,” Bakwadi lashed out. Meanwhile, Caiphus said he bought medals cash at a certain shop in Block 3, Gaborone. “The medals in question were bought at some shop at Molapo Crossing and for all BOKA championships, we have never bought medals from that shop. I fail to understand why Dire wants to drag me into these issues that have nothing to do with me,” Caiphus said.