BOKA, BNSC clash over hosting of Africa tourney
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday September 21, 2018 13:34
BOKA was recently given the nod to host the continental competition, following the conclusion of the UFAK championships in Rwanda. But BNSC insists that a bidding and hosting plan should be submitted first.
BNSC chief executive officer, Falcon Sedimo said BOKA wrote to the BNSC indicating their desire to bid for the event in 2018, 2019 or 2020. He said the BOKA was informed that 2018 was not possible.
“We responded to them on May 24, 2017 requesting that they submit a Bidding and Hosting Plan before going ahead and these have not been submitted,” Sedimo said. He said national sporting associations (NSAs) do not write to inform the BNSC, but request to host and then their requests are assessed and submitted to the Board for consideration.
Sedimo said the hosting policy should be adhered to at all times. He said consideration for exemption of some conditions is only made pursuant to engagement between BNSC and NSAs. “The secretariat should be convinced that all requirements have been met, that is, requesting to host at short notice provided funding is available. NSAs should only start preparations when they have been given the go-ahead,” he said.
BOKA president, Tshepo Bathai on the other hand argues that the hosting policy has never worked for any sporting code. “As a collective, as the national sporting associations (NSAs), we have pleaded with the (BNSC) to review the document as it does not meet the requirements for most, if not all, codes,” he said.
Bathai said BOKA wrote to BNSC last year informing them of the opportunity to host and sought guidance from the sport mother body.
“They said we should bid for 2019. We have since submitted our request and we have not heard from them yet. UFAK has given us the hosting rights and we are busy preparing to host over 40 countries. BNSC will find us on the way,” Bathai said.
He said there are some of the requirements from the hosting policy that make their life difficult. He said, as an example, to host a Region V competition, the host country will only know after the announcement at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) yet the BNSC policy on hosting demands that affiliates write to BNSC a year before hosting.
Bathai said this was impossible. Sedimo said, contrary to Bathai’s claims, the BNSC has not received proposals for the review of the hosting policy.“However, if NSAs want the Policy reviewed, they should submit the request to the secretariat for approval by the Board,” he said.