Tough conditions set ahead of athletics camp
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday January 15, 2021 15:17
Athletes will finally go into camp tomorrow to prepare for the Tokyo Olympic Games. The Olympic Games’ Local Organizing Committee (LOC) has set tough conditions after an incident in which elite athletes Baboloki Thebe and Onkabetse Nkobolo were involved.
Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) vice president-technical, Tshepo Kelaotswe said the athletes would be expected to sign a code of conduct, among others. The athletes will not be allowed to leave camp without a permit. All athletes and the technical team members must submit valid COVID-19 test certificates.
“Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) has assisted us to pay for tests to be conducted at Diagnofirm Lab. Another requirement is that there should be close monitoring of athletes movements. They would not be allowed to leave camp without permit. Security for the athletes should also be in place,” he said.
He said Nkobolo is the only national team athlete who will not report for camp due to an injury sustained from an accident. Kelaotswe said they have submitted the preliminary accident report to the BNOC. He said he was not in a position to discuss the contents of the report and added, they are yet to finalise the document.
The accident resulted in delays in getting the national team into camp The LOC had instructed Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) to submit an accident report before the camp could go ahead.
The accident occurred when the team was preparing for the same competition last year. “When the final report has been submitted to BNOC, we could talk about the contents. We are also still in discussion with them to try and clear the mist surrounding us,” he said.