Poor attendance at Cossasa games
Mosah Mokganedi | Monday April 7, 2014 10:38
Speaking at the games launch on Friday Boitshoko Tsiane said only six countries out of possible 15 confirmed participation for the Athletics COSSASA games billed for April 23-25 in Gaborone. Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia along with the hosts have confirmed participation.
Tsiane appealed to the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture Ruth Maphorisa to address the confederation meeting about the matter in Zambia before the games.
Tsiane said he had hoped that countries would use COSSASA games to test Botswana before the Africa Youth Games.
Tsiane said also of concern is that there are no structures that take care of under-17 athletes in the region despite the fact that COSSASA games are meant to take care of that.
Meanwhile, Tsiane thanked the government for the support that they have been giving the committee. He promised that the committee would do its best to deliver successful games.
For her part Maphorisa said government attaches great importance to school sport as the critical level of talent identification. She said they have financially supported school sport before and pledged to continue to do so. Maphorisa also promised COSSASA representatives from different countries that the country will do its best to deliver successful games. “We are compelled to make this year’s chapter of COSSASA a memorable one to convince the nation that we will deliver on the Africa Youth Games,” she said.
She also appealed to Botswana team caretakers to ensure that the team is dressed to the right attire all the time.
“I must hasten to indicate that appearance of our team reflect on the seriousness that we accord the games,” she said.
She told attendants that she was greatly disturbed during the recent BISA national championships to see athletes receiving medals wearing sandals.”We should teach young athletes the professional sports behaviour while they are young,” she said.