Local Chess Administrator Goes International
Correspondent | Monday March 15, 2021 15:59
Lopang will serve as a judge at the inaugural tournament that started on Saturday (March, 13).
The event will run until March 28. Lopang will be one of the three African officials at the tournament with others from Kenya and Uganda.
Speaking to Monitor Sport, BCF public relations officer, Kutlwano Tatolo said since there were fewer international tournaments, for a local to get a nod means the local game is at par with modern day technical requirements. “This means, in terms of technical officials’ fitness for world tournaments, we are amongst the best in Africa. We are still relevant when sport goes digital. The BCF is happy to still be a name amongst other international bodies,” Tatolo further said. Lopang is also the vice president of Africa Chess Commission.
She has over 20 years experience as a national team player in which she earned herself a Woman Internal Master title. The new appointment is not her first international call up, as she has officiated several tournaments with the 2018 World Chess Olympiad being the highlight. Meanwhile, the BCF will not participate in the tournament because of the current suspension of funding by the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) whilst local teams, which are found at tertiary schools are currently not committed to sporting activities.
“Botswana will not be participating. World Universities was an invitational this time around and most universities prioritise catching up with their academics and not spending on sports. BCF (also) cannot access the funds to attend such (a tournament) because the BNSC has frozen sports funding,” Tatolo said.