Ministry to review 19-year-old sport policy
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday May 29, 2020 14:32
The policy covers both recreational and competitive sport and focuses on the contribution of the two sectors to the society and economy.
The policy puts in place mechanisms to ensure that sport is successful in Botswana, such as benefits to the business world for supporting sport, putting in place community sport bodies amongst others.
MYSC permanent secretary, Kago Ramokate told Mmegi Sport that the review process was long planned.
“We have not set a deadline when the review would be complete. The BNSC (Botswana National Sport Commission) and Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) will be part of the process,” he said.
The coordination of the sport policy is done at ministerial level under the sport department with BNSC and BNOC as contributors.
The document provides overall vision for sport in Botswana by emphasising the high ethical standards. The policy also calls for the promotion and inclusion of disadvantaged groups.
The policy still refers to Botswana National Sport Commission as Botswana National Sport Council under the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, which has to be rectified.
The policy was born out of an extensive consultative process countrywide.
It identifies key constraints to sport development in Botswana being the low level of a culture of sport, limited funding, inadequacy of trained sport personnel, absence of a policy on sport, poor or inadequacy of sporting facilities, poor coordination between stakeholders, low participation of people with disabilities and the marginalised and low participation rates of women in sport and groups with specific needs.
But due to the evolving industry environment, authorities have now seen a need to review the document.