Gunners could replace Chiefs
Sport
A tournament aimed at commemorating the 16 days of activism against gender violence is faced with a minor setback following reports that one of the expected participants, Mochudi Center Chiefs is considering to pull of the tourney. The football spectacle is expected to be held next week Wednesday at the national stadium.
Defending champions of the league, Mochudi Center Chiefs were scheduled to play against untochouble Township Rollers. The purpose of the game is to engage men and boys to refrain from cases of gender inequalities and preventing HIV/AIDS. The tourney further intends to sensitise on the importance of ending gender based violence and promotes the wellbeing of women, men and children.
Reached for comment, the team’s media liaison Clifford Mogomotsi said the management is still deciding on the issue, but are likely to pull out. “Yes we might not participate owing to the issue of fixture congestion, remember on Friday of the same week, we are expected to play an away game with Motlakase Power Dynamos at Serowe,” he said.
Sources however, mention that the organisers have a second option. It is said they have so far reached Lobatse based club Extension Gunners to face Mark Harrison’s side. The Lobatse club is said to be ready to participate and seize the opportunity to prepare for coming fixtures. The team has fallen down the premier league radar since the departure of Pio Paul, winning one game in 6 accounts of trying.
But having roped in Chico Nare, there is a feeling at Peleng that the team is on the road to revival and a win against Rollers will amount to a moral advantage going forward.
The tournament is the first of its kind to be staged and is expected to reach its audience. The organisers are hopeful that their intended message will still arrive at the expected target despite the looming changes of participating teams.
On the outskirt of it, football lovers feel Chiefs have chickened out following their sloppy start on the league. It is felt that they are display is far from matching that of Township. A previous encounter between the two teams ended with Rollers victorious and many were eager to predict the revenge of the Kgatleng giants.
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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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.”