Change of guard overdue at BVF
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday March 3, 2017 15:10
BVF affiliates go into the congress amid dampened spirits with the federation facing a plethora of challenges, chiefly the absence of sponsorships.
The BVF had a deal with Mascom Wireless but it lapsed at the end of last season.
Despite affiliates moving into the AGM venue at the Oasis motel in Tlokweng unaware of the candidates, all points to a need for change of guard. The current committee has been in power since 2009 and under their leadership BVF has lost three sponsors in JB Sports, Capital BMW and the latest being Mascom.
The meeting comes against a background of a rough season where all sponsors left, despite volleyball being the second most popular sport after football in Botswana. Volleyball have been a top performer in international competitions.
Now all eyes will be on the men and women involved in running volleyball to make decisions that would rescue the sport from the doldrums.
However, there is an underwhelming atmosphere of uncertainty, as most clubs did not receive the names of the candidates, with some expected to make last minute entries.
The positions are of the president, vice president-administration, vice president-technical, vice president beach volleyball, media relations and marketing officer, treasurer and one additional member. It remains unclear if incumbent president, Daniel Molaodi will seek a fresh mandate. Clubs say they have not heard from Molaodi regarding his intentions.
Perhaps he is just playing his cards close to his chest, waiting to hear if there would be any challenger, only to announce his candidature at the last minute. The overriding feeling in volleyball is that he has reached his sell-by date and should pave way for new blood.
It is under his leadership that BVF lost all sponsorships, with no new deals signed during his tenure. When he took the reigns in 2009, he found existing agreements with the Mascom deal having been initiated by the previous regime led by Tsoseletso Magang. Media reports indicate that Molaodi might be interested in a new term. It is still not clear who his challenger will be, but Percy Roberts of Kutlwano volleyball club has been mentioned as having shown a desire to take the bull by the horns.
Roberts has been an administrator and coach at Kutlwano. With the help of others around him, he has guided the club to become a powerhouse in local and regional circles. He is credited with the efficient running of the club and also securing sponsorship for the team from Exclusive Insurance Company.
It has always been his passion to see volleyball having its own facilities. If he indeed stands, affiliates would have a case in handing him the challenge of running volleyball.
For vice president-administration, three names have cropped up with Tebogo Tsie, Ndibo Lebala and Batsho Mbangwa mentioned. Incumbent, Rhee Hetanang is reportedly not seeking re-election. Among the candidates, Tsie has been in the current executive as an additional member. Lebala has been an ex-officio member having served as the competitions commission chairperson.
Mbangwa is a former coach, treasurer and secretary at Kalavango Volleyball Club and has been elected into the BVF executive as an additional member twice before, in 1998 and 2004. For unknown reasons, he was pushed out of Kalavango administration and has since been club-less. The atmosphere however points to a possible victory for Lebala who is credited with running successful competitions over the years, with Tsie likely to bite the dust as affiliates feel that after close to a decade in the executive, she has not been felt.
Incumbent vice president-technical, George Keotsene is seeking re-election and recently told Mmegi Sport that under his guidance, BVF has been a model for most Botswana National Sport Commission and Botswana National Olympics Committee affiliates locally and other federations in Africa in executing development programmes.
He pledged to improve the monitoring of athletes particularly those in the Centres of Excellence and Africa Dream project centres. But many feel he too has contributed to the declining fortunes of the association having been a part of the current administration. His challengers include Shakespear Mokubung who has served in the referees commission but stepped down because of work commitments and working far from Gaborone.
It is still not clear how he will be able to serve at a higher level with his unchanged work commitments but he has promised to improve communication and relationship between supporters, sponsors, other sporting codes and stakeholders. Kagiso Meswele, former Kutlwano chairperson is also in the race. A former competitions commission chairman, Meswele intends to promote the introduction of development teams and incorporate the constituency tournaments into the mainstream.
Media relations and marketing has not brought up interested names yet. However, two names are mentioned, that of Gotlhe Rapotsanyane and Mpho Tlhaselo.
Other candidates are: Moabi Tlalampe (treasurer, unopposed), Odirile Driller Sibanda (vice-president-beach volleyball), Edgar Serole and Mmuler Gaobone (additional members).