Sport: The highs and lows

| Wednesday December 22, 2010 00:00

Volleyball has had one of the best years after clinching a P1 million league sponsorship from local cellular phone dealer, Mascom. This was after the code went many years without a league sponsor. The federation also managed to retain tournaments' sponsors they have had for few years now. The code also ended the year on a high hosting the Africa Zone VI club championships where local teams performed well. The other milestone that volleyball reached was when they sold two of their players to an Algerian side, Blida. This was the first in local history that the sport got their players to ply their trade outside the country.

Women FootballThe women's game is in its infancy stage and is faced with many teething problems. Credit should, however, go to the AT& T Monnakgotla Bus Service company for coming to the rescue of the game. The sponsorship has, however, worsened the already existing differences between Botswana Football Association (BFA) and women's football administrators who feel the women's game is not taken seriously. National women football teams also continue to perform below par in the international arena. The women's game still has a long way to go looking at the grounds where games are played. The BFA president David Fani, who listed women's football development as his priority during his election campaign, has been accused of not living up to his word.

Botswana Integrated Sports Association (BISA)The association started well but ended the year on a bad note. Though reports of school sports suffering have not been reported as yet, the results of teachers abandoning sports activities are expected to show next year.Teachers abandoned extra-curricular activities after the new Public Service Act demanding to be remunerated.If the issue is not addressed quickly, this will affect the biennial Botswana Games next year as most participants are students. There is no way the BNSC will be able to host the event without the support of teachers.  

BNSC-BNOC relationshipThe Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) and Botswana National Olympics Committee relationship has reportedly been improving. The two leading organisations were said to be fighting for supremacy. The two deserve commendation for showing maturity, which their affiliates should emulate.

BOTESSABotswana Tertiary School Sports Association successfully hosted the Confederation of Universities and Colleges Association (CUCSA) Games in Gaborone. The country did not only host the games but also finished in a respectable second position.