Football deservedly missing again at table of royalty

As the roll call of Botswana’s sport was read out last week, unsurprisingly the most loved and adored child was missing. Football is the country’s most followed sport but has for ages found it difficult to produce an elite list deemed good enough to make it to the Botswana Sports Awards.

As is increasingly becoming the norm, athletics led the way with nine nominations while football and netball, among the elite class, produced zero nominees. Netball is another notable absentee and the code would be disappointed considered the fall from grace in recent years, after some stellar displays not long ago. However, in terms of popularity and mass participation, football is the one that has to answer more questions. The list of nominees is a subjective process, but few will disagree with the omission of football.