Women blamed for voting men into sports positions

Teichler Rankoa | Tuesday September 16, 2014 12:31

Speaking during the first Botswana Women in Sports(WASBO) Pitso, attended by about 150 delegates in Gaborone on Saturday, Mathiba-Madibela said women believe in men than themselves.She said all men who hold high positions are there because “women spent sleepless night campaigning for them so that they defeat their women opponents”.

Mathiba-Madibela said Botswana has talented and intelligent women who can perform as effective as men but it is still worrying to see men given preference. She noted that most women holding leadership positions are doing well which should motivate other women. She cited the likes of the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dorcus Makgato-Malesu, Regina Sekalesele-Vaka, Glenda Mokokwe and Tebogo Lebotse-Sebego as proof that women can do better as sports leaders. “If we don’t trust ourselves with such positions there is no one who is going to trust us,” Mathiba-Madibela said. She said instead of seeing men as a threat, women should fight for what they believe in and change mindsets. 

Mathiba-Madibela said it was worrying to see women in sports being discriminated against by men who think they are not fit enough or too weak to participate in events such as marathon and weight lifting. She said women are disadvantaged by the role of taking care of children when their male counterparts are out on the sports grounds.

She said it was disappointing to note that women in sports are exploited, sexually harassed and at times abused by the men they work with. Mathiba-Madibela said these are factors pushing women out of sports.