BNSC awards nominee�s facts wrong
Calistus Kolantsho | Thursday August 31, 2017 15:57
Bakwadi faces competition from athlete, Nijel Amos and chess player, Thuso Mosutha for the award. When considering Bakwadi for the award, the selectors said he had won two gold medals at the World Championships in Australia. But instead, Bakwadi took part in the Australia Open where only three countries, Australia, Botswana and New Zealand competed.
“It is an error. I am told it was the Australian Open and it is not even two gold medals. It is one gold medal and one bronze medal. That has been confirmed by the athlete.
I am in the process of discussing the issue with the BNSC. But the fact is that he is a great karateka,” Botswana Karate Association president, Tshepho Bathai said when asked about the matter. Contacted for comment, BNSC chief executive officer, Falcon Sedimo said they have never had an incident whereby they are provided with wrong information. He said athletes’ profiles are submitted by sporting codes to the Commission, then forwarded to the awards panel.
Regarding the Bakwadi issue, Sedimo said a lot of things are considered when nomination is done.
“The panel takes a lot of things into consideration. They start at the national level, continental then internationally. In this regard I guess Bakwadi has accumulated points in other competitions,” he said.
Meanwhile, karate is leading the nominations for the awards with five candidates.
Karate has a representative in the junior male sportsperson of the year award in Thabang Setshego. Setshego is up against Gavin Mogopa of judo and Karabo Sibanda of athletics. The men’s kumite team that comprised Oratile Caiphus, Lemogang Koolopile, Setshego, Teto Wakwena and Karabo Rantlole has been nominated for the national team of the year award. The team will battle it out against athletics men’s 4x400m relay team of Baboloki Thebe, Amos, Isaac Makwala, Leaname Maotoanong, Onkabetse Nkobolo and Sibanda. Another karateka, Thato Malunga’s name has been picked for sportswoman of the year award alongside Onkemetse Francis (chess) and Christine Botlogetswe of athletics.
National team coach, Peter Molefhe has been nominated for coach of the year award and is up against Mogomotsi Otsetswe of athletics and Thebe Setlalekgosi of boxing. Bathai said they are happy with the nominations and it demonstrates that they are doing something worth celebrating.
Other nominees:
Junior female sportsperson: Besa Masaite (chess), Tshegofatso Tsiang (tennis) and Galefele Moroko (athletics).
Sports administrator: Dorothy Tlagae (judo) and Tshenolo Maruatona (chess).
Non-citizens sports award: Estony Pridge (judo) and Zilwele Khumalo (rugby).
Sport code of the year: Botswana Cricket Association, Botswana Chess Federation and Botswana Athletics Association.
Umpire/referee: Edgar Serole (volleyball), Joshua Bondo (football) and Gaone Poane (tennis).
Group code: BOTESSA and BOPSSA.
Sportsperson with disability (woman): Kedumetse John (Special Olympics), Nonofo Zigwa (Special Olympics) and Goitseone Ramontshonyane (Special Olympics). Sportsperson with disability (man): Keatlaretse Marape (PASSOBO) and Brightfield Shadi (Special Olympics).