Montsho and Makwala have expressed their misgivings about the centre saying their careers have stalled. But they returned to Dakar in September and the BAA has said they will stay there till August when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) permits athletes to sign new contracts at performance centres. When the athletes' contracts at the Dakar Centre expired last August, Montsho and Makwala said they wanted to train elsewhere.
BAA president, Moses Bantsi explained that the athletes' return to Senegal is to keep them occupied before they can apply to centres of their choice. He said BAA had identified a centre at the Albama University in America but they were discouraged by the lengthy registration period. The association felt that the trio should be kept active and hence the decision to send them to Senegal. Bantsi said the BAA wants the athletes to move out of the Dakar Centre as they have outgrown it. The centre is for amateur athletes and the BAA feels the three should move to the next stage of training. Bantsi said the BAA has a number of upcoming athletes that they want to send to Dakar.
He said professional athletes like Montsho should move from Dakar because their presence may block young athletes the BAA wants to send.
