Chiefs desperate for Top 8 finish
Sport
For countless time this season, Mochudi Centre Chiefs have appeared irredeemable. Their title defence has of course fizzled out since 3 years ago but points had frittered before the onset of the season as the campaign degenerated into a hopeless pursuit of Top 8 qualification.
But in the final week, Magosi as they are called by the legions of their supporters, have a chance and are on the Top 8’s shoulder once again. In the last 2 games, they have remarkably won an away game against Sankoyo Bush Bucks before salvaging a draw against premier league rookies Sharps Shooting Stars.
Second assistant coach Pontsho Moloi said he was more than happy with a draw given last week‘s circumstances that saw the entire Chiefs squad abstaining from training. Despite Moloi’s admission that his 2 all draw with Sharps was indeed a remarkable result, Magosi still has a mountain to climb if they are to secure a respectable position in the log. “To be honest with you, I am happy with a point, remember we did not train the entire week, we did not prepare at all,” he said.
However, in reality, Chiefs were bleeding for the two points they lost. They squandered a win in the dying minutes, and now, for the first time in the 7 year history of the tournament, Chiefs’ fate of the Mascom Top 8 is not in their hands. The team occupies the 9th spot on the log with 36 points, two behind Mmankgodi’s Black Forest.
On one hand, Chiefs diehard followers conceded the Premier League title had slipped away even before the league itself started. Chiefs knew too well that to fight against moneyed teams for the title was almost an impossible mission. Without good players, good salaries and in fact without literally a team, Chiefs never imagined that they would be the biggest losers come season end.
That quest had taken a detour with the lamentable defeat to rivals Township Rollers and a damaging one against GU that left Moloi literally crying. In essence, Magosi has failed to beat all the teams in the Top 8 bracket. This proved that Moloi’s team lacks big game character to fight for their survival.
However, the team might have left off it too late. Even after staging impressive results in the last two games, it appears that this cannot comfort Chiefs followers as it should when the Kgatleng giants failures against the lesser lights were (and are) becoming routine. The Chiefs coach invited scorn before the Sharps game by revealing he dreamt of ending his first full season in football with a couple of consecutive league wins.
What he would never say is that his players must share responsibility for a title challenge fading into a desperate fight for a Top 8 finish within several weeks. The thought, and perhaps the conclusion, will not have escaped him despite his decision to tweak a squad laden with defensive midfielders.
Sport
Orange injects P350 000 into Phikwe marathon
Mobile network Orange Botswana is committed to supporting the development of local sport. Through its sponsorship, the company will be able to promote and market the sport. According to Maano Masisi, the company believes that sport can unite people from different backgrounds.
He stated that through the sponsorship of the marathon, the company will help promote healthy lifestyles and unity among the people of Selebi Phikwe.
The Selebi Phikwe Marathon is scheduled to take place on July 29, 2023. It is expected that it will attract international, regional, and social runners. A total of P216 000 has been allocated for the prize money for the first ten places in the 42.2 km race. For the 15km and 10km races, the LOC will give away prizes to the first five places.
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Big Guns for Botswana Grand Prix
The National Stadium will be lit up with fireworks on April 29, 2023, as some of the best international athletes will participate in the maiden Botswana Grand prix.
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Sport
AFRICA’S RECOVERY: Sports as game changer
The year 2022 witnessed unprecedented phenomena. Several Africans- Gotytom Gebreslase, Sharon Lokedi, Victor Kiplangat, Tamarit Tola and many others- swept the World’s marathons records.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting control measures implemented in several countries, led to many high-level sports competitions being cancelled or shelved, the Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games was moved to 2026.
Founder and Executive Chairman, African Sports and Creative Institute, Will Mabiakop, says the inability to hold traditional and amateur sports events have had a serious effect on public health overall, including mental health, sparking a revolution whereby athletes began to talk more openly about stress, mental overload and performance anxiety.
“Africa is home to the fastest growing economies before the crisis, no longer on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). COVID-19 deepened interdependence between SDGs, making them harder to achieve, especially SDG 10 (reducing inequality) and SDG 5 (gender equality_ as the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on poorer countries, and heavier burdens (such as care work) fell to women.”
Mabiakop stresses that as policymakers contemplate actions to speed up recovery and build resilience, they must argue that sports and creative businesses should play a central feature in this effort.
“The sports economy worldwide is estimated at 5% of GDP, but only 0.5% in Africa. If exploited, Africa’s sports and creative industries can offer policymakers innovative solutions. Especially, as regards job creation, and providing employment to the 15 million people entering the job market annually.”
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY DO THIS?
By leveraging the two-for-one concept: past studies shown that a 1% growth in the economy delivers a 2% job increment in this sector (these ratios are calculated using data from 48 African countries and adjusted to the reality of the sports economy in Africa by the authors). There are between 30 and 50 job types, in sports and creative industries, respectively. These jobs do not fade away with the first major shock.
Mabiakop indicated that policymakers can use these industries to tackle multiple crises- jobs, poverty, and climate risks. Sports diplomacy- defined as communication, representation and negotiation in or through the prism of sports- has proven effective in building inclusive and cohesive societies. Moreover, sports and the creative industry can support better mental health and well-being, both important for productivity.
“Policymakers can also be true to the game by leveraging culture and tradition to celebrate identity and reap commercial value in sports, textiles and jewelry. Creative sectors allow deeper connection with culture, are not easily copied and provide great economic potential.”
He said supporting grassroots sports has powerful distributional effects. “Fortunately, technology has made reaching wide audiences easier, generating higher rates of success when talent is discovered.”
However, Mabiakop held that potential pitfalls must be highlighted. “First avoid build it and they will come policies with infrastructures denuded from the rest of the ecosystem. Like the many sports stadiums left largely unused.”
“Policymakers must remain mindful of how these sectors move the needle in human capital development. Also, align the requisite public policies needed for progress from grassroots participation to professional sports, and even to international sporting events. They should also support investment instruments to render these sectors performant.”