Raditladi targets commercialisation of sport

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Staff Writer | Thursday September 27, 2012 00:00

 

Raditladi, at a function to introduce him to the media in Gaborone yesterday, also committed to decentralising sports services in the country. Raditladi said for the council to better service sporting codes and affiliates there is need not to restrict services to a particular area.

'We are going to improve participation in sports from the wider population of our country by spreading our services and presence throughout the country,' he told journalists. He added that the council would open service centres in key areas to cover the rest of the country. Additionally in their quest to improve sport the new boss said they would adhere to high standards of professionalism. 'We will enter into service level agreements with affiliates and sporting codes,' he promised.

Raditladi expressed concern about sport in Botswana being unable to commercialise despite being a multi billion-pula industry globally.   He assured the nation that he would work through commercialising sport. This is a similar route new Botswana Football Association (BFA) president, Tebogo Sebego pledged to pursue.

Raditladi said sport's main sponsor, the government, is faced with other commitments and that as such organisations should find a way of raising their own funds. 'Indeed our parent ministry has an expectation that the council should meet its operational expenses,'he said.

The youthful Raditladi brings with himself a wealth of knowledge in management. BNSC chairperson, Solly Reikeletseng said with the rich leadership profile that Raditladi has, they are confident that he will lead sport to new levels. Although Raditladi does not have a sport background, Reikeletseng said there were not necessarily looking for a sport person, but a leader.

Raditladi beat a pool of other candidates to the post, including early front runners, France Mabiletsa and Department of Sports and Recreation director, Falcon Sedimo.He replaces Kitso Kemoeng who left under a cloud in February.