Olympics bid hinges on govt's decision

Calistus Kolantsho | Friday August 3, 2018 12:42

 

However, a written commitment from the bidding country’s government is required on or before the deadline. Bogosi said they are currently working with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the budget needed to host the YOG.

“We cannot commit to something that we cannot deliver. Up until we finalise the budget and see how much we must spend in order to host the Games, that is only when we can commit,” Bogosi said.

He said hosting of major games is part of the government’s 2009 Excellence Strategy.  Botswana National Olympic Committee chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho recently told Mmegi Sport that the benefits of hosting outweigh the costs.

“During the Games, more than P500 million from outside would be spent in Botswana,” he said.

The winner of the bid would be announced in October during the IOC general assembly. Botswana faces competition from three other African countries; Nigeria, Tunisia and Senegal. It will be the first time that the Olympic Youth Games are held in Africa.

The next and third edition of the youth competition would be held from October 6 to 18 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The YOG are an elite international multi-sport event for the world’s best young athletes between the ages of 15 and 18. Buenos Aires 2018 would be the first time that an Olympic event has had an equal number of male and female athletes.  There would be 1,999 women and 1,999 men competing in 32 sport disciplines. Some of the Botswana athletes who have already qualified for the Buenos Aires Games are James Freeman (swimming), Bernard Olesitse (athletics), Lame Hetanang (athletics) and Oarabile Tshosa (athletics).