Botswana signs 2017 netball cup MoU

Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday December 1, 2015 16:16

INF President (center), NWYC 2017 LOC chairperson, Prosca Mokgadi (left) and BONA president, Tebogo Lebotse- Sebego at yesterday' s meeting with journalists and potential sponsors. PIC: NETBALL WORLD YOUTH CUP GABORONE 2017

The agreement was signed at a meeting of the INF board with potential sponsors of the tournament at Masa Capitol Cinema in Gaborone yesterday.

The Botswana National Sport Commission chairperson, Solly Reikeletseng and INF president, Molly Rhone signed the agreement.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Reikeletseng said the government cannot manage to support the event alone and there was a need for private sector support.

The chairperson of Local Organising Committee, Prisca Mokgadi said the main purpose of the tournament is to leave a lasting legacy. She said the legacy comes in different forms such as infrastructure and human development. She said the Under-21 players who will compete in the World Netball Youth Cup stand a good chance of becoming a feeder team to the senior national team.

“We are still new in office, but one of the challenges we are facing is budget constraints. We had presented a budget that we used during the bidding process and we are yet to look into it again,” she said. Mokgadi said the government has given them P10.9 million and the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture seconded some of their staff to be full time at the secretariat. She said the advantage they have is that participating countries pay for their own transport, food and accommodation, adding that will take the burden from them.

Mokgadi said the University of Botswana facility will be used to host the event, but it only has one court. She said they are yet to identify a venue that they will renovate and then install the necessary equipment.

She said using more than one facility would mean there is need for more manpower. It will be the first time the tournament is played in Africa and 20 countries including Australia and Belgium will participate. Botswana won the bid to host the Netball World Youth Cup last year.