Mmegi

The golden goose that needs protection from doping

Demonstration: Athletes advocating for zero doping PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
Demonstration: Athletes advocating for zero doping PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG

Athletics has become local sport’s undisputed goose that lays the golden egg. The performance of local athletics on the international stage has been on an upward trajectory since Glody Dube became the first athlete to reach the finals at the Sidney Olympic Games in 2000. Since then the floodgates of success have opened, culminating in the country winning its first ever Olympic gold through Letsile Tebogo. But as Staff Writer, CALISTUS KOLANTSHO argues, authorities need to do all they can to keep athletics from the doping pitfall

Athletics has been the flag bearer of Botswana sport on the international stage since independence but doping remains a monster that is threatening its image if left to rage. Each year, athletics continue to register doping cases as the association continues to deal with the ever-changing landscape of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited lists.

If the sport leadership is not motivated to devote more resources to anti-doping testing and education, then maybe there is a need for a new administration to be ushered in.

As a way to try to halt the threat, last year the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) president, Moses Bantsi launched the BAA Anti-Doping Commission of Inquiry. However, not much has been heard about the commission amidst escalating doping incidents.

This week, MmegiSport revisited the commission to check if there have been some inroads since its establishment. The BAA vice president, Oabona Theetso, refused to share the names of the members of the commission at this stage, arguing it could compromise their work.

“Remember that part of their mandate is to investigate doping, so disclosing their names will do us harm. The Commission of Inquiry is on and yet to share their report,” he said. When asked if they work with the National Anti-Doping Coordinating Office (NADCO), Theetso said that only happens when the need arises but they are an independent entity. Sources indicate there has not been much interaction between NADCO and the BAA Anti-Doping Commission of Inquiry.

“To be honest, I think there are some people with noble intentions in the leadership of the BAA. They also need to be assisted, I think having a General Manager is a huge advantage for them but the General Manager needs programme officers who are going to be tasked with the responsibilities that we are talking about. I see the Botswana Football Association (BFA) has an army of employees but BAA, which deserves more, has skeletal staff. It also has to do with clout or recognitions accorded to the BFA,” a source said.

For Botswana to win the fight against doping, the BAA is better placed to deal with the matter on a full-time basis.

With what has taken place there is a need for a person whose job is to make sure that BAA complies with all aspects of World Athletics Anti-Doping rules. The Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) and Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) have stayed a safe distance amidst the unfolding crisis yet they should be at the forefront. They must tell the nation what they are doing for anti-doping since it has snowballed into a national crisis. BNOC has been trying to convince the government to set up an autonomous anti-doping office.

It is imperative that the anti-doping office is independent of the BNOC and the Ministry of Sport and Arts.

Last year, it emerged that BNOC had applied for support from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to develop an anti-doping policy to assist in implementing the envisioned Act so as to ensure compliance with responsibilities under international codes and instruments. The policy would help harmonise, coordinate, and deliver effective anti-doping programmes to prevent intentional and unintentional doping.

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