Sports Bodies Urged To Embrace Sport Science
Naledi Lemogang | Monday March 6, 2017 15:06
Speaking at the Botswana Sports Science and Medicine symposium held at the University of Botswana (UB) on Friday, Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) chairperson, Solomon Reikeletseng encouraged sport bodies to drill technical staff on the discipline.
“I wish to encourage national sport associations to embrace Sport Science and ensure that their coaches and technical staff are drilled in these disciplines,” he said.
He added that the BNSC should make it mandatory to send a team with a support staff to all competitions. “There should be a medical doctor, physiotherapist, dietician, sport psychologists accompanying teams at all times when such is a possibility. It is evident that this approach can no longer be an option, it should be mandatory,” he said.
The symposium was organised by the UB, Botswana National Olympic Committee and BNSC under the theme ‘Improving Sports Performance Through Science And Medicine’. This was the second gathering ever since 2015, which is part of efforts towards the BNSC Vision 2028. Speaking during the official opening, Reikeletseng said he is happy and proud of the efforts made by the BNSC, UB and BNOC working together in improving local sports. He said this year’s theme reflects their desire to put in place systems to develop athletes through a deeper and broader use of science and medicine.
“This has to be done so that we offer our athletes a competitive edge and ensure that they reach their peak when it matters most,” he said. Reikeletseng said concerted efforts would be made to ensure that the science and medicine programmes are harmonised so that athletes perform to the best of their ability.
He urged coaches from various national sport associations, medical and science personnel as well as technical officers and sport administrators to participate and put the programmes in to practice.
During last year’s Rio Olympics, there was shock when it was discovered that athletes, Baboloki Thebe and Nijel Amos were carrying injuries, which in the end, hampered their participation.
Reikeletseng said the purpose of this programme is to avoid late injuries to athletes because most of them happen due to wrong techniques.