Tennis team misses Fed Cup

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Correspondent | Wednesday May 23, 2007 00:00

The Botswana Fed Cup team was scheduled to compete in the Euro Africa Zone Group III event in Mauritius mid this month.

It was supposed to be used as part of Botswana's preparations for the All Africa Games in July. BTA's technical department head, who doubles as the Fed Cup team coach, Mthandazo Sibanda, has described their failure to participate as a drawback to the development of the women's tennis in the country. Mmegi Sport understands that the majority of the BTA executive committee members, who felt it was of no use sending the team to the Fed Cup knowing it would fare badly, vetoed the decision.

Mmegi Sport understands that the perennial under-achievement of the Fed Cup team has put Sibanda at loggerheads with the majority executive committee members who feel that the coach is not doing enough to improve things.  Mmegi Sport understands that while Sibanda and president Monkami Masale were keen on taking the team to the Fed Cup, the rest of the BTA chiefs argued that funds should instead be used to develop the players.

The BTA boss has recently found himself having to defend the head of technical department from a barrage of criticism from his executive committee members. The scenario, Mmegi Sport has learnt, has created a friction between the president and his executive colleagues, leading to the simultaneous resignation of the Secretary General Nelson Amanze, and vice president Kelisitse Ntshinogang. Masale refused to comment on their resignations when contacted, saying it would be premature to do so as he was still discussing the matter with relevant authorities.

However, Sibanda admitted that there were external forces that influenced the decision to abandon Fed Cup plans this month. 'The pressure was there. In the BTA obviously a lot of people differed. It is true that all these things were discussed but in the end we considered all the issues,' he said when asked to confirm claims that the majority of the BTA executive members had vetoed the Fed Cup trip.

'Sending them to the Fed Cup would have benefited the players. Missing it, is a sad thing for the development of tennis. The Fed Cup happens to be the only big tournament for women on the calendar,' he said.

Asked whether the Fed Cup team would be ready for the All Africa Games in July, Sibanda said he would have the services of United States (US)-based pair of Tapiwa Marobela and Neo Malope, who would be on college vacation at the time.