Serufho pleads for parents� support in sports
Chakalisa Dube | Friday September 19, 2014 13:53
Serufho was speaking at the Olympics Day commemoration at Masunga Sports Complex on Saturday, where in a rare occasion, the elderly took part in sporting activities.
The senior citizens took part in bicycle races and marathon as well as other activities on the day. This impressed the sport chief. “They (the elderly) can serve as an inspiration to the youth to take part in sporting activities of this nature. Sport has now become a profession and we need the elderly to encourage the youngsters to take part in sports at an early age to improve their chances of becoming professionals in future,” he said.
The participating elders and members of the community also visited an anti-doping unit set up at the sport complex in great numbers that Serufho hailed.
“We live in an era where some athletes around the world resort to taking drugs to improve their performance. It is vital that some elders be accustomed with all dynamics related to doping so that they teach the youngsters the dos and don’ts in athletics. It is rare for parents and some members of the community to visit such stalls to learn.
“If we are to reach the United Nations, Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) goals of a clean sport by 2016 for Under-18 athletes, it is vital that we engage the elderly and general members of the community to help preach anti-doping messages,” Serufho said.
The national anti-doping UNESCO campaign dubbed ‘Clean Sport’, started in May last year. Botswana Integrated School Sports Association (BISA) coordinated the campaign.