Bantsi appointed World Relays CEO
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday June 30, 2025 09:31
The World Athletics Council awarded Botswana to host the 2026 World Athletics Relays scheduled for May 2–3, 2026, in Gaborone. The World Athletics Relays in Gaborone will see Botswana host a World Athletics series event for the first time. According to information reaching MmegiSport, Professor Martin Mokgwathi is the Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairperson. Speaking during an interview, BAA vice president-administration, Kenneth Kikwe said as preparations for the event gather pace, the BAA board took a decision to appoint Bantsi as CEO and vice president-administration, Oabona Theetso is the acting BAA president.
“The changes will be in place until relays, but Bantsi will resume his role as BAA president after delivering the relays,” he said. Meanwhile, a source has revealed that BAA affiliates are not aware of the appointments. “Affiliates raised concern in the last Annual General Meeting (AGM) about lack of communication by the office, and there is no change. This is our event, but we are not part of it. We do not even know members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC). We expected the board to bring the list of LOC members and their credentials to us before they can be launched,” a source said. A source said there was a team that went for benchmarking in Guangzhou, China, and there was nobody from clubs.
The source further revealed that it was the University of Botswana lecturers, unknown to affiliates. “We expect the World Relays to leave a legacy for athletics, but it seems like nothing like that will happen,” a source said. Contacted for comment, Bantsi said he was still in a meeting before cutting off the call. MmegiSport made another attempt to get a comment by sending texts via WhatsApp, which he blue-ticked.