Affiliates fight rule on young boxers
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday November 2, 2018 13:36
BoBA implemented the rule over the weekend when they barred two young boxers, who are students at Mogoditshane Secondary School, from travelling with their clubs to South Africa.
Tsholofelo Boxing Club chairperson, France Mabiletsa said on the last day, the two boxers did not make the trip.
“The boxers were not released by BoBA. Apparently athletes in Schools of Excellence are prohibited from playing for any club. This has come as shocking news to us as we have never been formally informed,” he said.
Mabiletsa said the two fighters have been registered as Tsholofelo boxers. He said the duo is included in the club’s annual returns. Mabiletsa argued that the boxers were their members before being admitted at Mogoditshane. He said they are still waiting for official communication from BoBA.
DTCB chairperson, Thebe Setlalekgosi said whoever took the decision made a mistake. He said the rule is bad for the development of boxing.
“Stopping the youth from competing at club level is killing them. That is an opportunity for them to gain experience and exposure. The only competition they would now get is at Botswana Integrated Sports Association (BISA) level which is not enough,” he said.
But BoBA vice president, Hlanganani Moses-Digwere was adamant, saying Centre of Excellence Schools are a Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) programme and have their own terms and conditions.
“These are secondary schools students and they compete during BISA games, but you find that most clubs saying they are their members,” she said.
Moses-Digwere said that the confusion is caused by the fact that some clubs train students at secondary schools. She said that does not mean that they belong to clubs.