Tshenyego launches thin veiled attack on BNOC rivals
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday September 29, 2017 10:12
Tshenyego is the BNOC senior vice president and is bidding to replace his long time boss, Negroes Kgosietsile who will not seek re-election on October 7. Kgosietsile has been in charge for 16 years, and BNOC elects a new leader next week.
Tshenyego faces France Mabiletsa, Tebogo Lebotse-Sebego, Ookeditse Malesu and Daniel Molaodi in what is expected to be a close contest.
“I doubt the other presidential candidates understand the interpretation of the Olympic movement. I have the most diverse interpretation of the Olympic mandate. You cannot have a person contesting because she wants to represent women. Then that person is given an opportunity to talk for an hour and does not mention women. That is inconsistency. Their roadmaps are not clear,” he said.
Tshenyego said he is for continuity, which will be provided if he is elected, as he has the necessary experience after deputising for the outgoing Kgosietsile.
He is concerned that people do not understand the difference between BNOC and Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) hence they are calling for them to merge. He said the Olympic movement is not about the games only and cannot merge with a government agency. Tshenyego said to him as an Olympic disciple, his first oath is to the five Olympic rings and what they stand for.
“We are responsible for taking the teams to the games and not development. Go into our budget, we only get money for the games and running the secretariat. There are other projects that promote women in sport. Olympic movement has a broad mandate. I know that a lot of us do not appreciate this,” said the Mathangwane born.
“I am seeking a higher mandate in BNOC that has its own responsibility. As a quality assurance person I want us to establish a quality system, which can be formulated by federations. I want to ramp up the empowerment of women. For your information, BNOC is doing well in women participation,” he said.
“As an individual, I am prepared and mature to seek election as a president. I have strong background in sport. I have worked in sport as a volunteer and on a full time basis at different levels of sport both locally and internationally,” he said.
The 52-year-old was appointed as director of sport at Botswana Defence Force and was permanent executive secretary for the International Military Sport Council (IMS).
He was responsible for Eastern and Southern Africa, which was a full time job from 2004 until 2006. In 2000 unto 2003 he was Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) president, a post he vacated when he took the IMS job.
“During my time at BTA, I came up with a strategic plan. The first audit was done at tennis. I hosted many International Tennis Federations (ITF) tournaments,” he said.
After a six year break, in 2009 he was recruited by some affiliates to join the BNOC board as vice president. He began his second term in 2013 when he was retained unopposed. He said that was an indication of confidence in him by the affiliates.
Tshenyego said during his term, they took a decision to have 12 Olympic Solidarity accredited sport instructors. He said since BNOC was established, Ashford Mamelodi was the only accredited sport instructor in Botswana and the region until 2011.
“Some fresh blood is required, balance it with experience. Now we have people who always postpone their annual general meetings, some do not have leagues at their federations but they seek a higher mandate, that is greediness,” Tshenyego said.
He went on to say board members are allowed to vote for anybody they want. He said the system cannot be viewed as wrong now, when it has worked before. This was in response to concerns that board members should not run for elections. Tshenyego said people who have raised the issue are actually contestants.
“Look at the women, how on earth do they go to the International Olympic Organisation (IOC) with a women only team. It is the first time that we have seen such extremism and radicalisation of sport movement,” he lashed out.