Botswana is racing against time to set up a national Safeguarding Policy as the countdown to hosting the World Athletics Relays continues.
A national Safeguarding Policy is essential for establishing a unified framework that protects vulnerable members of society, specifically children, young people, and adults with care and support needs from abuse, neglect and exploitation. Speaking to Sport Monitor, head of Safeguarding sub-committee in the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26, Malebo Raditladi-Nkgakile said there is no National Safeguarding Policy that National Sport Associations (NSAs) can align to.
Malebo Raditladi-Nkgakile added that as the country hosts relays, they will try to make the policy as part of the legacy.
“At the end of the of the day, we can finally push for us to have a policy because it will be of no use for every NSA to come up with its own policy when there is no national policy that they can align to,” she said.
“Safeguarding is sensitive and needs a national law so that whenever someone bridges it, action can be taken. The policy was part of the bid, and we want to make that at the end of the day we have something especially for Botswana Athletics Association (BAA).”
Raditladi-Nkgakile said everyone can fail the World Athletics Relays because there is manipulation of competition is all the sporting codes.
She said if anything goes wrong during the relays, the country will be accused of not safeguarding them.
Meanwhile, BAA manager, sport-administration, Kebaitse Legojane said the importance of the technical officials refresher course that was held over the weekend was to meant to introduce the new World Athletics technical rules.
Some of the new rules include shoe spike length, relays reserve limit, world rankings amongst others.
“The workshop was attended by around 60 officials, as BAA competitions get underway, we will continue monitoring them. Those who will not be selected for the relays, they will become volunteers,” he said.
“Officials must know that they should continue pushing to be elevated to another level. The officials will embark on their first assignment this coming weekend during the BAA Series in Francistown.”
Legojane said they are concerned about the escalation of doping cases in athletics, and they will continue to find a solution to the problem.
He said they will work in conjunction with the National Anti-Doping (NADO) office in education and testing both in and out of competition.
He said the other burning issue is Safeguarding because they want to make a safe environment for everyone who will be attending the relays.
“Tomorrow we are hosting a workshop to come up with a new BAA Strategic Plan, which will be aligned to two quadrennials of the Olympics. The plan will include Safeguarding, Anti-Doping and Performance,” Legojane said.
