Sport

BAA denies ditching expatriate coach

Bantsi Bantsi
Bantsi

Speaking to Mmegi Sport from South Africa, Letham said the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) through BAA did not support his residence permit application.

“There was no point in pouring water on a dead plant by keeping on asking for their support. So I have retired,” said the disappointed coach.

Letham said he learnt through BAA president, Moses Bantsi that the commission could not support his application. Letham has produced some of the best athletes in Botswana including Glody Dube and Justice Dipeba.

BAA spokesperson, Roland Masalila said the association has an agreement with Letham for him to coach long distance runners. He said according to his knowledge, Letham is in camp with the athletes in Block 6, Gaborone.

“Letham is the head coach of The Diacore Gaborone Marathon Athlete Programme. The BAA executive committee visited the camp in August and everything was in order. I am shocked to learn that he has left the country,” said Masalila.

He said it was not true that the association failed to support the application for residence permit. He argued that the BAA should have been the one that motivates BNSC for the permit to be granted.

Letham has been an athletics coach since his days as a teacher under the Botswana Integrated Sports Association (BISA). He was widely regarded as one of the most successful coaches in the country. Letham has been coaching in Botswana for more than 20 years.

One of the coaches, Mogomotsi Otsetswe said losing Letham was a blow to athletics. He said Letham has a record of producing good middle and long distance runners. Otsetswe said they were expecting the country to start having some of the best runners produced from the Diacore Gaborone Marathon Athlete Programme, which Letham was heading.