Olympic champion, Letsile Tebogo has spoken for the first time since his shock withdrawal from the World Relays team.
On Monday night, the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) announced that three athletes, Tebogo, Colleb Kebinatshipi and Bayapo Ndori had withdrawn from this weekend's World Relays, to be held in Guangzhou, China, due to personal reasons. It is reported that the athletes' withdrawal was over a pay dispute.
This evening, Tebogo issued a statement, indicating it was not an easy decision to take. "I acknowledge the official statement issued by the Botswana Athletics Association regarding my withdrawal from the men’s 4x400m relay team for the upcoming 2025 World Athletics Relays. I wish to clarify that my withdrawal was not a decision taken lightly, nor without due consideration and engagement with relevant stakeholders. As stated, a personal decision was made in the best interest of all parties involved, and in full alignment with my long-term goals as a professional athlete," Tebogo said. "I remain fully committed to my country, the team, and the advancement of athletics in Botswana. As always, I remain proud to represent Botswana on the world stage and urge the nation to rally behind the team with the same energy and spirit that defines us as Batswana," he added
The star athletes apologized to his fans and stakeholders "for missing the opportunity to compete at the World Relays." He said:"Your unwavering support means the world to me, and I am deeply grateful for your understanding. Be assured that my schedule for the season remains unchanged."
