Rugby body ready to host Africa
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday November 25, 2016 14:50
Botswana won the bid to host the assembly in 2014 ahead of Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe. BRU president, Dave Gilbert told a media briefing yesterday that the three countries had shown interest to host the assembly during the last meeting held in South Africa.
He said the assembly is held bi-annually and the two Africa regions; North and South are given a chance to host.
He said 37 countries will be represented at the assembly with 100 delegates representing different federations. He said employees from Rugby Africa and World Rugby will be in attendance.
“The week long conference will discuss various issues such as tournaments to be played in the next five years. He revealed that BRU has received US$150,000 from Africa Rugby to host the assembly. “We have not used funds from BRU or Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC). The assembly is fully funded. This is good foreign exchange for us as a country,” he said. BRU used the platform to sign a memorandum of understanding with Sports Volunteers Movement (SVM). SVM chairperson, Kelebogile Maplanka said the partnership between the two bodies was long overdue. She said the movement is for every Motswana who is interested in sport development.
She said SVM does not need skills but the passion to volunteer and it is a way to give back to the community. Maplanka said the upcoming assembly will give volunteers in Kasane a chance to mingle with people from different countries and at the same time share ideas.
She added that the time that they are going to spend engaged in SVM activities means they stay away from substance abuse.
Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, RDC, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe are among countries that will attend.