Boxing�s funds request for Angola trip declined
Naledi Lemogang | Wednesday April 26, 2017 14:39
BoBA had requested for funds from the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) but the request was declined.
BoBA vice president, Orapeleng Mosalakgotla said the BNSC informed them there were no funds to send the team to Angola. Mosalakgotla however refused to disclose how much they had requested and when they put in the request.
He said they will now wait for an opportunity to send the team for the Africa Championships in Congo, funds permitting.
He said there are no other immediate options as BoBA depends on the BNSC for funding and therefore there is little else they could do.
Mosalakgotla said they did not select the national team for the Zone IV competition as that depended on funding.
BoBA spokeperson, Kenny Maragana said Botswana is the tournament’s defending champions after winning in Mozambique last year.
He said it is a drawback to fail to honour the competition, but there is nothing they could do without funding.
He said the boxers gain a lot from participating in such tournaments including boosting their profile, particularly for the BNSC awards.
Maragana said they use the Zone IV tournament to prepare for other international assignments and their failure to travel to Angola is a blow. However, Maragana said they will try and plug the gap created by the team’s failure to travel to Angola.
“Our plan is to organise international friendly bouts specifically with the international boxers that excelled at this year’s Zone IV competitions.
We also have decided to upgrade our inter-clubs competitions as a way of giving our athletes a warm up for the big tournaments ahead,” Maragana said.
Earlier this year, BoBA held three tournaments, which were meant to select the national team for the Zone IV competition.
The previous tournaments had attracted boxers across Botswana despite lack of women boxers in the tournaments.
The men’s competition has been improving in every tournament. The association will host the fourth inter-club competition at the beginning of May.