BAA drafts anti-doping policy as cases explode
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday October 24, 2025 10:42
This week, two athletes, Zibane Ngozi and Karabo Mothibi, were provisionally suspended following anti-doping violations. Ngozi and Mothibi were tested during in-competition tests on August 16 and 29 and April 12, 2025.
Two steroids, norandrosterone and methylhexaneamine, were detected in Ngozi’s sample, whilst stanozolol and oxymetholone were found in Mothibi’s.
It is now up to the athletes to decide if they want their sample B analyses, a process that takes time because the laboratory will have to find a suitable date.
They were given two weeks’ notice after notification to respond whether they accept the results or not.
The notification states that if they do not respond to the given timeframe, they automatically agree to be charged with Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRV).
As the country registers a concerning number of doping cases, the BAA is in the process of drafting an anti-doping policy.
BAA CEO, Mabua Mabua told MmegiSport that they are guided by the World Athletics and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) policies and regulations since they are affiliated to them.
“We need to domesticate them at the national level through the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) and at the sporting code level. “We are starting to draft the policy and other key ones and intend to have the draft ready by December 2025,” he said. For his part, Minister of Sport and Arts, Jacob Kelebeng said the rise in doping cases is a great concern, and it is clear that there is a need for stricter rules and legal frameworks.
The National Assembly passed the Anti-Doping Bill during the winter sitting of the Parliament.
“We are hoping that the bill gets signed into law soon, because perpetrators will be brought to book accordingly,” said Kelebeng.
“We will also be better placed in terms of facilities such as WADA-accredited labs, athletes' biological passports. More education and awareness are also necessary to curb the use of banned substances.”
The minister admitted that the rise in doping cases dents the image of the country. He said what is important is how they respond, prevent and ensure that there are no similar cases going forward.
The two recent cases follow six others recorded this year involving sportspersons, Refilwe Murangi, Ditiri Nzamani, Pertunia Gaegopolwe, Tshepang Manyika, Galaletsang Gabalotegwe, and Kagiso Mogale (softball).