BNOC affiliates should choose wisely
Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday October 21, 2025 11:36
Several positions are up for grabs but obviously the one that has attracted the most attention is that of president.
Three candidates, Ookeditse Malesu, Tshepo Sitale and Yarona Sharp think they have what it takes to drive the local Olympic committee’s Board forward.
The elections come at a time when the country’s stoke is on the rise, with recent performances from athletics particularly noteworthy. But what the nation sees on the track is or should be a culmination of day-to-day boardroom strategic planning.
Without such, athletes will be lost sheep. That boardroom process is driven by the men and women who will be elected on Saturday. It is therefore, imperative that BNOC affiliates apply their minds when they cast their vote.
It’s a simple process but with far-reaching consequences if not carried out diligently.
Botswana is no longer an ordinary participant at competitions like the Olympics. The country is now a key stakeholder deserving greater recognition.
Now, given the recent success on the track, the weekend elections assume greater significance.
The candidates should not view the elections as a gateway to self-aggrandisement. This is not the time to think about globetrotting, flying in business class and sipping some fine wine mid-air.
The candidates should view the task as an opportunity to unerringly serve sport. Often candidates have presented glowing CVs and ideas only to be later consumed by self-serving interests once in office.
The three presidential candidates present a potpourri of credentials, with Sitale entrenched in the system, Sharp, a fresh mind while Malesu has been here and there across codes.
The BNOC affiliates should represent the interest of the nation when picking a candidate. It should not be about who has canvassed better.
Their credentials should speak unequivocally and after the Sunday televised debate, the nation should now have a better understanding on who will better drive the sport forward.
The time for favours should be in the rear view mirror, it is time to pick a candidate who will effectively lead the Board through to 2029.
Too many codes are saddled with passengers masquerading as committee members and the BNOC should reject this camouflaging.
The power is in the affiliates’ hands to either be complicit in dragging the organisation back or give the BNOC a positive management trajectory. The choice is theirs!