Army softball sides face snub over merger
Thato Kala | Friday June 20, 2014 18:05
The Botswana Defence Force (BDF) has announced that it is cutting down the number of its sports teams through mergers or withdrawal of sponsorship. In line with this, softball sides, Scramblers, BDF IX and Blue Angels are supposed to merge before the July President Day holiday. It is said the organising committee of the Selebi-Phikwe Softball Extravaganza is just waiting for the official announcement to lock out the army from the tournament.
However, Lebofanye Kenosi, who is part of the committee, was diplomatic when asked about the matter. “It is a concern because the purpose of this tournament is to benefit the community, if they make BDF a super team, that is not right. People have been saying the BDF teams will be merged and we are saying this is not fair,” Kenosi told Mmegi Sport.
Scramblers’ coach, Bobby Khupe said they are still in the dark about the future of the club though they are preparing for the Selebi-Phikwe tournament. He said they have not received official communication from the army on the merger. “We are still not aware what will happen. They have not made any official communication. But obviously we were hoping to go there (Selebi-Phikwe) and defend our cup,” he said.
The eliminations for the annual tournament start in Gaborone and Serowe tomorrow. Southern Zone women lock horns in the capital while northern teams clash in Serowe. Southern men finish the eliminations on the weekend of June 28 in Gaborone. The tournament will be held over the President’s Day holidays in Selebi-Phikwe with Gomatsu as men’s sponsors while Bridgestone bankrolls the women’s games.