‘Our Anti-Doping officers are the most hated’
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday September 21, 2026 06:00
BNOC president, Tshepo Sitale, explained to MmegiSport that athletes who test positive for banned substances are often caught through local testing. This, he added, helps protect Botswana’s image at international competitions. “Probably if that was the situation, it was going to be an embarrassment. We could be in trouble, or we could not be competing,” Sitale said in an interview.
“When we have cases, we do not hide them; we inform the public. Our NADO officers are the most hated, but they are simply doing their job.”
Sitale revealed that athletes are regularly educated about anti-doping, adding that BNOC provides them with updated lists of prohibited substances and has introduced a new training schedule.
“We believe in clean sport, and nothing will deter us from clean sport,” he said.
Sitale noted the seriousness of doping was reflected in the government’s efforts to strengthen the country’s legal framework, including the passage of the Anti-Doping Bill in Parliament in August 2025.
The legislation provides for the establishment of a National Anti-Doping Organisation. It also seeks to align Botswana’s anti-doping framework with the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport and the World Anti-Doping Code.
The new framework also removes anti-doping provisions from the Botswana National Sport Commission Act to separate anti-doping regulatory functions from sport development.
The NADO is expected to handle testing, education, investigations and results management independently.
Sitale said BNOC had effectively served as the country’s anti-doping body in the past, but welcomed the establishment of a properly resourced and independent NADO.
“The BNOC has been the de facto NADO. We now want the new NADO to be resourced and to operate independently. Despite that, it has always operated independently,” he said.
However, Sitale said BNOC could not comment on specific doping cases currently before the courts, but welcomed the judicial process.
“We are happy that cases are before the High Court because there will be fairness and nobody will complain that they have been cheated. We cannot comment on cases before the court, but when matters have been finalised, we will be able to talk about them and take appropriate action,” Sitale added.
Four sprinters, Refilwe Murangi, Zibani Ngozi, Karabo Mothibi, and Lydia Jele, are challenging their provisional suspensions in a case before the Gaborone High Court.
According to Sitale, athletes who test positive are subject to restrictions under anti-doping rules and cannot participate in training or interact with other athletes whilst provisionally suspended.
He explained the restrictions should not be interpreted as BNOC being unwilling to assist affected athletes, but rather as an effort to ensure that the organisation does not breach anti-doping requirements or appear to facilitate violations.
“We do not want any doping case because it does not only affect those who test positive. Other athletes are now forced to be tested more because of the cases,” he said.
Sitale cited the Debswana World Athletics Relays, where he said the entire Botswana team had to undergo testing following doping concerns.
Botswana has previously acknowledged a rise in doping cases, with BNOC confirming in November 2025 that it had received a report investigating the increase in positive cases.