It is a fight that has swung this way and that way with very little intervention from the body that is supposed to play the role of a mother. The Botswana National Sport Commission has proved that it is a big bulldog without teeth. The enduring fight within karate is a microcosm of the wider fights that have engulfed sport with little done to end the wrangling. Recently, the BNSC chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho, indicated that their hands are tied in resolving the karate issues. It's all in the fine print, which prevents the BNSC from playing an active role in trying to resolve internal issues within the codes. It is a regrettable situation that should be rectified as soon as yesterday. Why would the BNSC watch as kicks fly at karate and in the process, soil the name of Botswana sport? Karate is just but one of the many codes that face administrative bickering. Football had its fair share not long ago, and they fought rugged while authorities folded their arms. On the rare occasion that the BNSC wanted to be seen to act on the BFA shenanigans, it proved just a talk shop meant to tick certain boxes.
Otherwise football ended up resolving its issues through the ballot. Karate seems to have taken a leaf and over the weekend with the Mpho Bakwadi led executive, which also came through a coup, booted out. Failure by the BNSC to play an active part in finding solutions within their affiliates is increasingly becoming bothersome. The sport body cannot hide behind the law forever, at one point that law has to be reviewed. Even if it’s the affiliates who, through the annual general meeting, should propose a law that allows the BNSC to intervene. The mother body has a duty to provide guidance.
