Deaf Sports Federation decries lack of funds
Kabelo Boranabi | Thursday April 14, 2016 14:16
Speaking to Mmegi Sport on the sidelines of the launch of the Deaf Basketball clinic hosted by Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) in Gaborone yesterday, Moyo said his office encountered a lot of challenges daily but lack of money had been a core to problems.
Moyo said: “We deal with a lot challenges, but the main issue has been funds.
For instance, whenever we need to request funds from the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) we have to hire an interpreter first. That is how intense the situation is. We also need the support from the public at large because without support we can not do much.”
DIBF Africa representative, Tom Okiki said the clinic would help to sensitise the deaf community about the sport and also help them acquire the tactical and technical skills to play the sport.
“We have been to West and East Africa, so we decided to choose Botswana as the first country in Southern Africa because the deaf federation already has football, netball and athletics but they do not have basketball, so we came here to introduce basketball to the deaf community,” he said.
Okiki further said the other aim is to develop the young basketball players so they could be able to participate in the regional and world competitions as they have done in other codes.
“It is important for Botswana Basketball Association (BBA) to work together with the deaf sports federation.
We are here to plant a seed and we would like to see the outcome in the future. The BBA should give coaching skills to their coaches so that the deaf community can acquire the relevant skills to play the game,” he said.
“Basketball is not a popular sport amongst our community but after this workshop we hope that the popularity of the sports would grow, and we may be able to compete in international deaf basketball competitions,” Moyo said.