Botswana Netball Association (BONA) is silent on player allowances during the ongoing Africa Netball Cup, leaving players seeking clarity. Despite player inquiries at the BONA office, spokesperson Mokeresete Mokeresete refrained from discussing allowances.
"Please may I kindly not give an interview on that for now," he said.
The men’s team faces Kenya in a bronze medal match at 5pm, having suffered a heavy 53-35 defeat to South Africa on Monday. The women’s bronze medal match against Zimbabwe follows at 7pm, recalling Zimbabwe's earlier victory at 56-50 during last week's group stages. In a challenging match against Zambia, the Botswana squad, Dinaledi, lost 53-43 in the last quarter.
Botswana faces the bronze match with only one shooter, Cheludo David, as Boikanyo Selegetso is sidelined due to injury. Head coach Neo Ntwaagae expressed determination to fight for the medal despite setbacks. “The situation could be different had Zambia won their match against Eswatini with an 18-goal lead. But we are going out there to fight against Zimbabwe. My players are fired up, they want revenge, but I know it is not going to be easy," she said.
Ntwaagae acknowledged the challenge of allowances affecting player focus.
“Sport does not pay in our country, but if the private sector is on board, we would see improvement. Our team has young players who can play for the next five years, but such things can demoralise them,” she said, citing the need for private sector involvement in netball funding. The issue of allowances, crucial for player motivation, is putting additional pressure on the team.
As Botswana competes in the crucial matches, concerns over allowances persist, influencing player morale and performance. Ntwaagae emphasises the importance of external support, mirroring football's model, to uplift netball in the country and sustain the players' motivation.
