BNSC clears tennis association
Calistus Kolantsho | Thursday July 30, 2015 18:00
The BNSC launched an investigation into alleged maladministration at BTA, but the findings have since exonerated the tennis body.
BNSC acting chief executive officer, Thato Kgosimore said they started investigations after some BTA members raised complaints about the leadership.
Kgosimore said BNSC instituted an investigation, but nothing amiss was discovered.
“The report that the BNSC received from the investigators indicated that BTA did not have issues of maladministration. The only problem that was picked was failure to comply with deadlines. They made submissions late and that was not allowed. When they organised tournaments, they should retire their report on time,” he said.
According to a deep throat, the complaint was made in writing in January 2013, to the chairman of BNSC Solly Reikeletseng, urging the council to stop disbursing the government grant to an association deemed to be corrupt.
“It was felt that BTA is an institution riddled with abuse of office, maladministration, proven irregularities at elections, lack of transparency, and has been operating for multiple years without financial statements nor any form of annual report,” said the source.
The matter, it is said, was taken up with the then Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Shaw Kgathi.
Kgosimore said the source of discontent was a privately owned tennis club in Francistown, which wanted to affiliate with the BTA.
He said the association turned down the request and the matter was reported to the minister. He said after a meeting held between the club and Kgathi, it was decided that the club should be allowed to affiliate. Kgosimore said the other challenge facing the association is capacity. “Tennis does not have enough coaches especially in Gaborone were there are many players and we are unable to provide coaches,” he said.
When Mmegi Sport enquired about the state of the Phikwe tennis club, Kgosimore said he was not in a position to talk about it. Even BTA president Nelson Amanze said the Phikwe club issue was sensitive. The Phikwe club has been in a state of disrepair for years amid a looming eviction order as the club operates from privately owned land.