Boxers suffer Olympics blow
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday February 19, 2021 14:58
This is due to the challenges brought about by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The final qualifiers were set for June in France to fill the remaining spots for the Tokyo 2020 games. Prior to a COVID-19 forced halt on international sport, the African and Asian/Oceanian continental qualification events had been completed and there was a reschedule on both the Americas and European qualifiers.
The BTF, in a media statement, said travel restrictions in most countries and athlete safety were key in restructuring the Olympic Games qualifying path.
The BTF, however, said the remaining continental qualifiers will go on as scheduled while rankings will replace the final World Qualifiers. “To ensure fair and safest possible conditions for the boxers from all regions, including having the same opportunity to recover and properly prepare for both the qualifiers and, more importantly, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
The importance of safeguarding the minimum period of 30 days between consecutive events (i.e. the last Continental Olympic Qualifier and the Final World Qualifier, and the Final World Qualifier and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020), especially given the current situation; and additional concerns regarding the ever-evolving travel restrictions, quarantine requirements and governmental policies that could affect the athletes’ preparation timelines, their ability to participate in the Olympic qualifiers and the presence of technical officials at these qualifiers,” part of the statement reads. Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) public relations officer, Taolo Tlouetsile admitted that the cancellation hampers the country’s chances of having more boxers at the world spectacle after the 2016 games no-show.
Keamogetse Kenosi has already booked her place at the Tokyo 2020 games, while four male boxers, Rajab Otukile Mohammed (52kg), George Molwantwa (57kg), Tshepang Kapinga (69kg) alongside female boxer Aratwa Kasemang (60kg), had hoped to use the final world qualifiers to secure their places in Tokyo.
“We had five boxers in camp with Kenosi amongst them, the other four had hoped to use the final qualifiers of course. But (in) the rankings graph, we stand a chance in 52kg because Rajab is ranked third in Africa and the top two boxers have already secured their spots at the games. We do not want to pre-empt anything, but he stands a realistic chance of qualifying,” Tlouetsile said.
There are 53 places (32 men and 21 women) planned to be allocated at the final World Olympics and now the BTF said the four continents will be allocated fairly.
The BTF rankings are not restricted to Olympic qualifiers, but other events between 2017 and 2021. Kenosi joins Nijel Amos, Christine Botlogetswe and Galefele Moroko as the local athletes who have qualified for the Olympic Games.