BAA, race organisers clash over new demands
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday April 13, 2024 05:00
These guidelines are for clubs, competition providers, and stakeholders. The marathon organisers have agreed to pay for a license but cannot afford the other fees that the association is demanding. According to the new standards for road races, a payment of P50, 000 is required to obtain the application form/licence.
There shall be a payment of 30% of the registration fees for the non-competitive (Fun Run) part of the event to the BAA and 20% of the registration fees for the competitive (10km, 21km, and 42.2km) part of the event to the BAA. All participating athletes should have a valid licence from the BAA.
“Foreign athletes registering for a marathon in Botswana shall be required to register for a permit from the BAA for each event.
Organisers shall pay for the course measurement by individuals appointed by the BAA, pay for the course measurers to attend and validate the course on the eve of the event, and pay for accommodation and travel for the technical delegate for the event appointed by the BAA,” the regulations state. The organisers should ensure that the BAA is involved in all the activities and included in the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the event. In the event of the club collaborating with the organisers, they shall receive 10% and five percent from the registration fees for both the fun run and competitive registration fees, amongst other requirements.
The FNB Kazungula Bridge Marathon CEO, Obert Morgan, told MmegiSport that they held a meeting with the BAA on Tuesday and informed them that as organisers, they can pay for the licence but cannot afford the other proposed fees. He added that they might as well just cancel the marathon because they cannot keep up with the BAA's demands. “We told them that we cannot afford what they are asking, but they are saying we should not advertise our events before we sign an agreement with them. We intend to take this matter forward to the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) and the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture (MYSC).
The changes are going to kill events. How many events will afford the propositions, and they should not kill something that can help them generate income in the future,” Morgan said. He said the proposed regulations mean some events will be paying the BAA almost P600, 000. Diacore Gaborone Marathon race manager, Tshepiso Baipidi, said there is still back and forth regarding the new regulations with the BAA. She said the BAA basically wants to have races like those in South Africa. Baipidi added that she thinks it is going to be difficult for the regulations to be implemented.
The organiser of Gubungano Marathon, Carlos Sebina said there is a need for the BAA to engage stakeholders further regarding the guidelines. He said paying licences cannot be a challenge, but the problem is other percentages that the association demands. Sebina said the costs do not make sense and they are too steep. For his part, the BAA vice president administration, Oabona Theetso said the new hosting guidelines are in place. When asked if the costs are not prohibitive, Theetso explained that they want to make sure that as people use athletics to make money, part of it must remain in the BAA coffers for athletics development.