BTTA P2m short for WTT Youth Contender
Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday September 29, 2026 09:37
The competition is scheduled for November 11 to14 in Gaborone and is expected to attract participants from around 40 countries. As things stand, the BTTA is about P2 million short of the estimated P4 million budget for the WTT Youth Contender Gaborone 2026. Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairperson, Dhana Ramasamy, said the organisers have secured almost half of the resources required but still needed significant support from the corporate sector, small and medium enterprises, individuals and volunteers. “It is an international event. You are looking at plus or minus 40 countries participating and a budget in the tune of plus or minus P4 million,” she said when speaking to SportMonitor on the sidelines of the BTTA National Super League launch on Saturday. “That is what the comfortable budget is at the moment. We are almost halfway securing various resources and various needs for the event.” Ramasamy added the association was grateful for the support it had received from government, particularly the Ministry of Sports and Arts and the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC).
She said the government’s support started during the bidding process for the hosting rights, with the Ministry and BNSC continuing to assist with resources and allocations within their capacity. “We are extremely grateful for the support we have got directly from the government. Number one, allowing us and granting us to explore this opportunity. “When we were bidding for this opportunity for us to host this event, they were rallying behind us,” she added. Meanwhile, the LOC has secured a partnership involving a subsidised venue and accommodation arrangements for players and other stakeholders travelling to Botswana. According to Ramasamy, the technical side of preparations is also in place, describing the organising team's capacity as sufficient for an event of the tournament's magnitude. “Our biggest support that we have here within our internal team is the technical support. For us to qualify to conduct such a game, it means technically our team has to be top notch,” she said. She added that the LOC was still looking for partners in areas including logistics and beverages, with discussions with some potential partners yet to be finalised. Despite the funding requirements, spectators will not be charged to attend the tournament.
Ramasamy said the LOC had deliberately decided against ticketing to allow Batswana to attend and witness an international sporting event at no cost. Instead, the organisers are exploring alternative revenue streams, including a post-event legacy book. The publication will feature Botswana and sectors such as diamonds and tourism, while also documenting BTTA's history and recognising stakeholders and sponsors involved in the tournament. Ramasamy said corporates, individuals and service providers would be able to advertise in the publication, with the revenue generated going towards BTTA's legacy projects. The association also plans to use surplus funds from the event for grassroots table tennis development in schools, particularly primary schools outside Gaborone. She identified Maun, Kasane and Letlhakane as some of the areas targeted for grassroots development.
The LOC is also seeking to create opportunities for local businesses to participate in the tournament, with Ramasamy saying companies do not necessarily have to specialise in a particular service to become partners. “If I am looking for a logistics partner, I am not only going to the logistics specialist asking them, can you become my partner? I am opening the doors to people. “You may not be a specialist in logistics, but if you have the resources, you can then grab the title of being a logistics partner,” she said. The WTT Youth Contender will feature Under-11, Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 singles competitions for boys and girls, as well as Under-15 and Under-19 mixed doubles.
The tournament has total prize money of US$1,000 (approximately P13,000). Ramasamy said the LOC was excited about hosting the tournament but acknowledged the pressure that comes with staging an international event of this scale for the first time. “We are super excited. We are a bit nervous because it's a global event. It is the first time we are hosting this magnitude of event, but our team is working tirelessly day and night,” she said. The WTT Youth Contender will follow the Commonwealth Youth Championship, which is scheduled for November 8 to 9 in Gaborone.