Karate criticises awards selection
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday November 6, 2020 14:07
His reaction follows the announcement of the awards nominees this week.
Karate did not submit names to the adjudication committee for consideration. Bathai told Mmegi Sport they have their own reservations about the awards. “We have our own reservations and we believe they are predetermined. We have previously raised the issue,” he said.
He said the omission of some of the athletes’ profiles was one of the flaws in the system.
“How could they omit that our athletes and teams won gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Karate Championships and other major events,” Bathai wondered.
Bathi is however optimistic the new BNSC administration would “right the wrongs.
“With the new leadership at BNSC, we remain hopeful that things will be done in the right way,” he said. Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) is leading the list with six nominations. The code received nominations in Junior Male Sportsperson of the Year (Maxwell Sechi), Administrator of the Year (Dr Thato Patlakwe), National Sport Associations (NSA) of the year, Sportswoman of the Year (Keamogetse Kenosi), Sportsman of the Year (Rajab Otukile) and Coach of the Year (Lechedzani Luza).
Patlakwe, BoBA president, said they have worked very hard to show through results that boxing could represent Botswana at different levels. “I am grateful to my executive committee, clubs, coaches and other officials involved in boxing. We started putting energy into development programmes strengthening and the results are now showing. We must maintain this and we believe that the future is bright with the right support from other stakeholders,” he said.
Patlakwe said there is vast boxing talent in the country with experienced coaches, referees and judges. He added there are other technical officials and administrators, and with the right support boxing could be the best sport in the country. However, last year boxing was watching from the ringside after failing to make it into the nomination list despite submitting names for consideration.
Special Olympics Botswana has received the second highest number of nominations being Administrator of the Year (Ross Tebele), Coach of the Year (Patricia Letshwenyo), Team of the Year (women volleyball team), Sportsperson of the Year with Disability-Female (Gorata Malehaneng and Maduo Phuthego) and Sportsperson of the Year (male) Glad Ketlaaleka and Mompoloki Mosiiwa. Tebele said receiving five nominations did not come as a surprise to them because they had a good year. “We performed well at the World Games that were held at the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We competed in different events being aquatics, athletics, football and volleyball.
I appealed for financial assistance from Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC), Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC), Debswana and BIHL),” he said.
The team brought home 10 medals (two gold, four silver and two bronze). Tebele said the recognition is an indication that Special Olympics is a force to reckon with.
“We have changed the mind-set of the community against looking down upon people with disabilities.
Our athletes do perform well as they have been doing since our first World appearance in 1991 and every four years after. The nation must take heed and support our athletes,” Tebele said.
Other nominees: Junior Female Sportsperson of the Year: Karabo Kula (taekwando), Refilwe Gabatshwane (chess) and Boitshepo Kelapile (athletics). Junior Male Sportsperson of the Year: Bernard Olesitse (athletics) and Denzel Seetso (tennis). Administrator of the Year: Mothokomedi Thabano (chess). Non-citizen Sports Award- Sumod Damodar (cricket), Vinay Naicker (taekwando) and Mervyn Mitchell (bowling).
Team of the Year: Bowls women national team and men’s 4X400m relay team (athletics).
NSA of the Year: Botswana Chess Federation and Botswana Cricket Association. Sportswoman of the Year: Marea Modutlwa (bowling) and Galefele Moroko (athletics). Sportsman of the Year: Leungo Scotch (athletics). Umpire/referee of the year: Dorothy Okatch (basketball), Emmanuel Kgaboetsile (badminton) and Abel Mataboge (softball). Coach of the Year: Dose Mosimanyane (athletics). Sportsperson with Disability (male): Edwin Masuge (PASSOBO).