More questions on BNSC awards
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday November 20, 2020 16:23
The Botswana National Sport Commission organises the awards, but affiliates have been particularly irked by the decision to let nominees ‘apply’ for the award.
Instead, they want the selection committee to monitor individual and sport code performances over time, and then make a shortlist of nominees.
The Botswana Karate Association recently criticised the process. Now, one of the nominees, Emmanuel Kgaboetsile has raised concern over the way their profiles were submitted.
The 40th edition of the awards is scheduled for tomorrow at Botswana Television auditorium. Kgaboetsile, who is nominated under umpire/referee of the year, told Mmegi Sport that he was shocked by how the profiles were done.
“I had submitted everything to them in one file and they picked the weaker ones. They left out major tournaments with more points that I officiated at being the World Senior Championship that was in Poland. I officiated in 80 matches. The World Junior Championship in Russia in October where I did 60 matches and Singapore Open in April, which had 25 matches (which was omitted),” he said.
The information in Kgaboetsile’s profile that has been included is that he trained and assessed umpires at the 2019 Botswana Games and umpired a total of 28 games at the 2019 Africa Games in Morocco including the women’s final and mixed doubles final. The profile also indicates that he was a referee at the All Africa Under-15 Championships in Ivory Coast and umpired 14 matches at the 2019 All England Open.
“I spoke to the awards adjudication panel chairperson, Charmaine Khupe and she informed me she was not responsible for profiling. I also raised my concern with Bobby Gaseitsiwe and he said my profile could not fit in the space that is used in the design. Then I asked why leave out world championships and include small tournaments while for basketball they included world championships?” stated a disappointed Kgaboetsile, who won the Sportsperson of the Year award in 2018. Kgaboetsile is nominated under the Umpire of the Year category, together with Dorothy Okatch from basketball and Abel Mataboge of softball.
Khupe confirmed to Mmegi Sport that she had received a telephone call from Kgaboetsile. She explained that her panel adjudicates and rates what has been submitted.
“Information used to profile nominees is derived from what the National Sport Associations (NSAs) submitted for a candidate of a category. It is not created afresh,” she said.
“We adjudicated on what was submitted, profiling information came from what the NSAs submitted. It seems like the process is not understood.
However, I could confirm that clarity was accorded to Kgaboetsile,” she added.
For his part, Gaseitsiwe said he explained to Kgaboetsile that his profile was submitted to the adjudication panel in full.
“The profile that is being used for the broadcast material is not complete due to space limitations. The panel judged his full profile so he should not worry or feel disadvantaged by that,” he said.
Gaseitsiwe added, nominees are judged by events from national, regional, continental and world.
Other nominees: Junior female sports person of the year: Karabo Kula (Taekwando), Refilwe Gabatshwane (chess) and Boitshepo Kelapile (athletics).
Junior male sports person of the year: Maxwell Sechi (boxing), Bernard Olesitse (athletics) and Denzel Seetso (tennis).
Sports administrator of the year: Thato Patlakwe (boxing), Roslyn Tebele (Special Olympics) and Mothokomedi Thabano (chess).
Non-citizens: Sumod Damodar (cricket), Vinay Naicker (taekwando) and Mervyn Mitchell (bowling).
Team of the year: Women national team-bowling, women vollyball team-Special Olympics and Men’s 4X400m relay team. National sport association of the year: chess, cricket and boxing.
Sports woman of the year: Keamogetse Kenosi (boxing), Marea Modutlwa (bowling) and Galefele Moroko (athletics).
Sports man of the year: Leungo Scotch (athletics) and Rajab Otukile (boxing. Coach of the year: Lechedzani Luza (boxing), Kebonemodisa Mosimanyane (athletics) and Patricia Letshwenyo (Special Olympics).
Sports Person of the year with Disability (Female): Gorate Malehaneng (Special Olympics) and Maduo Phuthego (Special Olympics). Sports
Person of the year with Disability (Male): Glad Ketlaaleka (Special Olympics), Edwin Masuge (PASSOBO) and Mompoloki Mosiiwa (Special Olympics).