Mares miss out on P100,000 payday
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday October 16, 2026 10:25
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will provide a $10,000 (approximately P137,000) post-competition grant to every athlete who competes at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) president Tshepo Sitale said athletes who comply with anti-doping regulations and the Olympic Charter will qualify for the grant, which is not dependent on winning a medal.
He added it was unfortunate that the Mares had missed out, as the IOC would have awarded each member of the 23-player squad $10,000.
However, Sitale remained hopeful that the men’s team would qualify for the games.
Applications for the grants will be submitted through the IOC’s online platform within six months of the conclusion of the competition, with funds transferred directly through National Olympic Committees.
The Mares were eliminated 7-0 on aggregate after suffering a 1-0 defeat at home before a heavy 6-0 loss away in Tanzania on Tuesday.
Sitale highlighted that the BNOC continues to face challenges relating to doping, revealing that one athlete had been dropped from the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship programme due to a doping violation.
Meanwhile, athletes who have received scholarships for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games are Letsile Tebogo, Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, Leungo Scotch, Batisani Kennekae, Bayapo Ndori, Golekanye Chikane, Justice Oratile, Ketlhobogile Haingura, Bhekempilo Lee Eppie, Obakeng Kamberuka, Oratile Nowe, Tshepiso Masalela and Tumo Nkape.
Athletes on continental scholarships are Victor Ntweng, Kemorena Tisang and Thomphang Basele.
Furthermore, Sitale warned that the suspension of school sport had resulted in the loss of a generation of talent, raising concerns about Botswana’s ability to assemble competitive teams for future Olympic Games.
The BNOC president described the situation facing school sport as a slippery slope, calling for collective efforts to address the challenges.
He suggested that stakeholders should put forward ideas to revive the sector, including considering the Australian model, which places emphasis on community-based development.
“We need to start having a conversation now. Events like the Botswana Games should be brought back. They exposed athletes and regions, while local authorities took them seriously. We need to revisit those initiatives.
“As the media, you need to ask questions about what happened to those projects because they were yielding results and identifying talent,” he said.
Sitale said the media could help hold sporting institutions accountable by questioning why sport had regressed, why coaches were frequently changed and how funds were being spent by boards.
He added that the media could protect athletes, advocate for women’s sport and para-sport, and give greater coverage to minority sporting codes.
On athletes’ welfare, mental health challenges and setbacks, Sitale urged the media to be self-critical, arguing that coverage should go beyond claims of underperformance to examine the challenges athletes face.
Meanwhile, Sitale said the BNOC would unveil Botswana’s team for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) on Monday. The Games will take place in Dakar, Senegal, from October 31 to November 13.
Botswana will be represented in athletics, boxing, judo and swimming.
“We will also be revealing the Nike kit that the team will be wearing. We entered into the agreement with Nike before the 2026 Commonwealth Games. For now, you might see that we are wearing colours that are not our real colours. That is because they take a year to design a kit. Next year, we will have specifically custom-designed kits,” he said.