Budget cuts greet return to play
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday June 11, 2021 13:27
BNSC chief executive officer (CEO), Tuelo Serufho has warned the recent decision to lift a ban on sport activities does not mean it is ‘Christmas’ as caution must be exercised.
“We are going to inspect National Sport Associations (NSA) individually before we could allow them to start play. We are revisiting the return to play guidelines that we had made with NSAs and implement them.
We are also not going to allow every NSA to start play, we would try this out with a small number. If things go well, then we would keep increasing,” Serufho said.
He added they are finalising allocating funds to the NSAs and the BNSC would not assist with covering the costs of COVID-19 protocols. He said they would only cover national teams activities looking at the tight BNSC budget. “I would not say the BNSC budget has been cut per se, but more responsibilities have been added, which have always been funded outside our subvention.
When we take those additional responsibilities, they affect subvention allocation to NSAs or our special projects,” he said. Serufho stated the NSAs would not receive the same grant that they have been getting.
He said other NSAs would receive small subventions if they were to receive any at all. Serufho explained that would happen to NSAs that have not been delivering sport programmes and are non-compliant.
“Those who would get more funds, are those who are assisting us (BNSC) to achieve our mandate, which includes contributing to some of our medals prospects, the sport is spread across the country and if it offers employment opportunities.
We also look into that there is accountability within the NSA. Those are just examples, but we have criteria that we have come up with to decide which NSA receives more funding or who gets less,” he said. Serufho added this time around it is not obvious that football would get the largest chunk unless they meet the criteria.
Meanwhile, the codes’ mixed reactions have greeted the decision to lift the sport ban. Botswana Netball Association (BONA) secretary-general, Ntebo Maplanka said the decision is positive as the industry has been suffering.
She said those who use sport to earn a living were greatly affected. Maplanka said a lot of people were depressed due to a lack of physical activity. “Financially it is going to be a mountain to climb for NSAs. As we are all aware, COVID-19 has affected businesses and most of them are not available to sponsor sport at this point until they have recovered from the stressful effects of the pandemic,” she said. Maplanka said what is even more depressing is that when COVID-19 started last year, the little funds that BONA had, were taken back.
She explained that they intended to renovate the BONA facilities. She said they would be in a position to start their activities. She said the decision to take back the funds affected their plans.
“It meant we could not do anything but the facilities should be compliant to COVID-19 protocols. Now it looks bleak that those funds would be added to the little subvention we would be getting.
It seems like we would receive 25% of what we had requested. That is if we get funding,” she said.
Maplanka said then they are expected to incorporate all the activities that they have planned for 2021-2022. She said they are still waiting to get guidelines from the BNSC.
“If those conditions are to apply, they include testing before games, getting players and officials into a bubble and all these things require funding,” Maplanka said.
She added there are many challenges to take into consideration before going back to competitive sport. Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) president, Oaitse Thipe said there is confusion following the announcement as it was unclear what competitive sport was.
“Why did they not classify sport according to the risk it poses? We all know recreational non-contact sport helps with non-communicable diseases.
What risk does a person jogging or playing golf pose to the fight against the disease?” Thipe asked. Thipe said there is a need for more funding for NSAs to cater for compliance with COVID-19 protocols. “Closure of sport is also killing sport businesses, which could sustain themselves without government funding.
Recreational sport remains closed, which means golf and tennis clubs would be closed down permanently. Those NSAs do not necessarily need government funding to remain operational and they are less risky,” Thipe said.
He argued that if the government says there is no money and does not want those sport businesses, which could survive without government funding and are less risky not to operate, it does not make sense.
“The government needs to allow sport businesses that could sustain themselves to operate and are less risky not bulk everything like everyone plays football,” he said. Botswana Swimming Sport Association (BSSA) president, Andrew Freeman said they are excited about the decision to return to action. He said the move would give clubs hope and motivate athletes. “We hope to start short course (25m) competitions in heated pools as soon as we have secured venues. Of course, we are aware that the dangers of COVID-19 are still with us and we are being trusted to keep athletes and officials safe,” he said.
Freeman said they have Africa senior and junior swimming championships scheduled for Ghana in October, AUSC Region 5 games and short course world championships in December.
Special Olympics president, Ross Tebele said the return is welcome but the damage has already been done. He said health reports indicate increasing COVID-19 infections coupled with fewer people allowed to participate, which is not going to help much.
“People would still be avoiding meetings. Parents would not freely allow their children to participate in sport,” Tebele said.
Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) president, Tshepho Bathai said they are ready to roll out their programmes. “We have all teams, including a medical commission that has SHE officers ready. Our budget is huge, so we are waiting to hear from the Botswana National Sport Commission,” he said. Bathai revealed they are expecting a minimum of P1 million, but the BOKA budget stands at P2 million. He said during a briefing on Tuesday, they were informed that grants would be reduced. Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) president, Thato Patlakwe welcomed the government’s decision to lift the ban but bemoaned the reduced number of 50 people per event.
“As BoBA we have been ready for this and it is a good move by the government. This was our proposal last year and it was long overdue,” he said. Regarding the grants cut, Patlakwe said it was not good for the sport, especially for development programmes, which collapsed during COVID-19.
Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) president, Mothokomedi Thabano said the return of sport means they have to start negotiating with sponsors.
However, Thabano said they now have to encourage players to get back and look for resources. Botswana Basketball Association (BBA) president, Boineelo Hardy said the lifting of the ban comes with the sad news of the grant cuts.
“I am happy about that and we have a lot of catching up to do. Other countries have long played sport, so our athletes have a lot of catch up, fitness-wise to get back into the game,” Hardy said. Meanwhile, the return to play requirements stipulate that a sport facility may host authorised sport daily where there shall not be more than 50 participants and 50 officials at any given time.
Spectators are prohibited from attending competitive sporting activities and alcohol shall not be sold or consumed at the facility during a sporting activity. Participants shall not share water bottles and hydration containers. Daily disinfection of sporting facility and equipment shall take place where sporting activities are carried.