Mmegi

No ‘Italian job’ for boxers

Throwing punches: National team boxers will now focus on the African Games PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Throwing punches: National team boxers will now focus on the African Games PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

The mission of the Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) to send a team to Italy for the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifiers has been aborted. The decision to cancel the trip came after a meeting this week involving BoBA, the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC), and the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC).

The team was set to leave for Italy's Busto Arsizio tomorrow. However, the change sees the team forgoing the qualifiers to instead focus on the African Games. BoBA president, Gilbert Khunwane told Mmegi that changes were made due to overlapping schedules. The world qualifiers are scheduled for February 29 to March 12, while the African Games take place from March 8 to 23.

“We had wanted to send two teams, with one team going to the Olympics' first world qualification tournament in Italy while the other team was to compete at the African Games in Ghana. The plan was affected by financial challenges,” he said. Botswana had previously competed at the Africa qualifiers held in Dakar, Senegal, in September.

Editor's Comment
Micro-procurement maze demands urgent reform

Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...

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