Furious parents demand refund for hockey trip
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday April 1, 2016 15:32
Parents contributed P5,000 each towards the trip. The Botswana team returned last Friday after withdrawing from the competition, which ran from March 18 to 24, 2016.
One of the parents said they feel cheated after paying the money and their child ending up not playing. Players who travelled to Namibia have also accused BHA of mistreatment. The parents want the BHA to refund them.
According to a source who spoke to Mmegi Sport, most of the players do no want to play hockey again as a result of the treatment they received. She said the girls’ team was withdrawn because half of the players did not have Botswana passports while some in the boys’ team did not make the trip due to transport challenges.
“We were there for a few days and came back before the end of the competition. We were not happy about the food. They fed us sandwiches everyday. We expect them to refund us,” said a disappointed player.
Responding to the allegations, BHA president, Unaswi Matebu said the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) wrote to them on March 16 ordering the association to withdraw from the competition.
“I then withdrew the teams before the competition began on the morning of March 18. They (BNSC) claim to have not been informed of the competition although they are the ones who entered the teams into the competition,” Matebu said. “BNSC paid the entry fees for the teams and also paid for the training field that was used for the weekend training camp for the teams. I wonder how they got to pay for something they don’t know about. They say it contravened the BNSC Act and it attracts a penalty,” she said.Matebu said BNSC, in their letter, said they did not have the BHA report (from last year’s seniors tournament). She said they had sent all the reports including the annual report. Matebu said they tried to appeal the decision, but the BNSC chief executive officer through the BNSC chairperson did not get any response from him. Regarding the issue of reimbursement, Matebu said BHA is addressing the issue.
Meanwhile, BNSC chairperson Solly Reikeletseng said BHA’s appeal did not succeed. He said the association was advised by the commission not to go, but they decided to on their own. He said as a way forward, BHA would answer to the BNSC.
“They have acted against our instructions. They had put the lives of children at risk. The embassy was not aware of their presence in Namibia. Sometime people have to take responsibility and avoid such things,” said Reikeletseng. He said the contributions that parents made has nothing to do with the BNSC.