World Relays debacle: Athletics enters murky territory

Mqondisi Dube | Friday May 9, 2025 11:16

The Botswana Football Association (BFA) has become a reference point for disputes over allowances. Successive Zebras generations have been at loggerheads with the association for failing to timeously honour financial obligations.

This week, it was the turn of athletics, as Oabona Theetso, the BAA vice president-administration had a busy week trying to put out the fires in the media.

This after three key athletes, Olympians, Letsile Tebogo, Collen Kebinatshipi, and Bayapo Ndori, dumped the national team just days ahead of the World Relays, which takes place in Guangzhou, China, this weekend.

Theetso has been steadfast in stating the BAA’s case amidst rising anger directed at the association. Theetso chooses not to call it a dispute despite the glaring disagreements between the athletes and the association. He said the issue was primarily over the payment of an African record, which the 4x400m team set at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Whilst the athletes were demanding P100, 000 each for breaking the record at an Olympic event, they received P50, 000. This, according to the BAA, is because the incentive policy recognises the feat as an African record set, irrespective of where it was recorded. The athletes were also paid P20, 000 for qualifying for the World Relays.

Explaining on paying the athletes for World Relays qualification this week, yet the feat was achieved last year, Theetso said, “Qualifications were still on and only closed on April 25.”

“I do not regard it as a delay. Request for payment was sent to the Botswana National Sport Commission on April 30 and May 1 was a holiday. On Monday, five days later, the athletes were paid and we do not think that was a delay,” Theetso told MmegiSport.

He believes the BAA did its best to handle the issue of payments, including keeping the athletes updated.

“Yes, we did everything accordingly,” Theetso said. On whether there will be further action against the athletes, Theetso said they will engage each other to find common ground.

“We will engage them further and close the issue,” he said, adding the three athletes had not indicated when they will be available for national duty again.

“It is not a dispute per se but we have unanimously agreed that we withdraw their manpower from the World Relays. We are still willing to meet them post the relays to map the way forward,” he said.

The BAA received a likely ally in the Botswana Olympic Committee (BNOC), which released a statement on Wednesday, reiterating that all allowances and incentives were paid prior to the team arriving home from the Olympics.

There has been no comment from Ndori and Kebintshipi, whilst Tebogo issued a statement on Tuesday night, saying he had applied his mind before taking the decision to withdraw from the team.

“I wish to clarify that my withdrawal was not a decision taken lightly, nor without due consideration and engagement with relevant stakeholders. As stated, a personal decision was made in the best interest of all parties involved, and in full alignment with my long-term goals as a professional athlete,” Tebogo said. “I remain fully committed to my country, the team, and the advancement of athletics in Botswana. As always, I remain proud to represent Botswana on the world stage and urge the nation to rally behind the team with the same energy and spirit that defines us as Batswana,” he added.

Meanwhile, Theetso is confident the team in China will “bring the smiles on the faces of Batswana”.