Botswana, SA boxing deal faces challenges
Calistus Kolantsho | Wednesday March 23, 2016 13:53
But the deal faces teething challenges.
BoBA president, Dr Thato Patlakwe told Mmegi Sport on Monday that the deal has teething problems and they are working on.
He said the two boxing bodies were expected to meet in future to iron out the challenges.
Patlakwe said SANABO had extended an invitation to BoBA to bring local boxers for a youth training camp. He said that proved that the agreement could still be successful.
The agreement was meant to raise the standard in time to launch a stronger challenge at the Rio 2016 Olympics as well as preparing for the 2020 Olympics.
Areas of cooperation between the two countries included coaching development, referees and judges’ development, tournaments, women’s boxing development and training camps.
Meanwhile, the former national team coach, Lechedzani Luza said it was a shocker that boxing failed to qualify for Rio 2016. He said the team could have at least won a medal instead of coming empty handed. Luza said Botswana was considered a power house in the region.
He said: “Countries that are underdogs such as Lesotho and Namibia have qualified for the games. That means we have to change the way we have been doing things.
This is the same team that brought five gold medals, two silver and one bronze from Zone Four championship in January. Two boxers from this team brought two medals from 2015 All Africa Games.”
Luza said BoBA should now go back to the drawing board and strategise for the next games. He said the association should strengthen its structures, including development.