Serufho cautions boxers over doping
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday February 26, 2016 16:22
Serufho was speaking at a send off ceremony for the boxing team, which left yesterday for an international training camp in Morocco.
The camp is part of the preparations for the Rio 2016 Olympic qualifiers that will take place in Cameroon next month. Serufho said boxers should not consume anything that they are not sure of as way of avoiding incidents of doping.
He said he could not confirm if the entire team had undergone doping tests. Serufho said the process of testing should be done with integrity to avoid the tests having outside influence.
“What I can tell you is that all athletes who qualify for the Olympics will be tested before the games,” he said.
Serufho said the athletes should do their best to book a slot in the competition to be held in August. The top three male boxers will automatically qualify for the Olympics while only the top female boxer goes through.
Botswana has sent a team of two women and five men to the qualifiers.
Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) president, Thato Patlakwe said the team went through intensive training during a three-month camp. He said the Morocco camp will give the boxers a chance to train with international boxers from countries such as France. He said the team participated at the Zone IV championships where they finished in first position, with 10 boxers winning medals.
“We selected the boxers through an intensive selection criteria and we picked only the best in the country,” he said.
Patlakwe said unlike in the past, the team is travelling with a psychologist who is meant to prepare the boxers before matches. He said boxers should not lose focus because they stand a chance of qualifying.
Meanwhile, 400 metres runner, Isaac Makwala said it was easy to get a medal at the Olympics than to qualify. He said the government should put more resources in qualifying. Makwala said athletes should be given a longer time to prepare for the Olympics.
“Teams should start preparing for the qualifiers two years before because last minute preparations are not the best. Women boxers should work hard to qualify because we need you,” said Makwala, who attended the ceremony to motivate the boxers.
Teams
Women: Koketso Dipogiso (51kg) and Keamogetse Kenosi (60kg)
Men: Zibani Chikanda (75kg), Mohammed Otukile (49kg), Kabelo Bagwasi (60kg), Kagiso Bagwasi (64kg) and Lentswe Zwinila (69kg)