The golden goose that needs protection from doping
Friday, January 31, 2025 | 120 Views |

Demonstration: Athletes advocating for zero doping PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
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.
We duly congratulate them to have ousted the long ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) from power. Prior to taking power from the BDP, the coalition had made several election promises that are credited for influencing change and swaying the people to vote in its favour.The party had made an undertaking, which its leader and President Duma Boko consistently bellowed in his campaign trail. These undertakings were promises that Batswana would be...