Mmegi

‘Zero medals at Commonwealth Games not a surprise’

Team Botswana at the welcome ceremony in Gaborone PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG
Team Botswana at the welcome ceremony in Gaborone PIC: PHATSIMO KAPENG

Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) recently sent a team to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, only for the athletes to return empty-handed. The seven-medal target set by the Tshepo Sitale-led board remained a pie in the sky.

At the previous Commonwealth Games, Botswana won two medals, whilst its biggest haul came at the 2018 Gold Coast Games, where the country collected five medals. Botswana’s young ambassador to the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, Mothusi Ramaabya, told MmegiSport that for the longest time, it had been common knowledge that the Commonwealth Games were coming, but the lack of preparation was always going to affect the performance of local athletes.

He said, judging from Botswana’s performance at the 2025 Africa Youth Games, the country has moved from being competitive to being more participative at the games, as if it were merely a tick-box exercise.

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Deficit relief must not invite complacency

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