BNOC CEO post put on ice
Sport
Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) will carry on with national sports programs without a substantive Chief Executive Officer for the foreseeable future, amid advanced talks of merging the entity with Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC).
BNOC is currently led by Wedu Motswetla on acting capacity, while Tuelo Serufho is in charge of BNSC as substantive CEO following a short spell as interim. Though the Ministry of Sport is cagey about progress relating to the merger, the BNOC CEO may never be filled due to the anticipated merger.
WeekendSport further learns that the issue bubbled beneath the ground again this week as BNSC held a consultative workshop with national sport association. Although it is not clear what the agenda of the workshop was to be, it turns out from different sources that “there is a dream to change how sport is ministered in the country.”
Part of that dream, sources speculate that is to give priority to sports codes that bring optimal results on international stage and also attend to the ever taxing issue of merging both BNOC and BNSC to become one authoritative sport organ.
The Wednesday workshop was conducted outside the eye of the media, but sources tell this publication that the Ministry is keen of hastening the merger of BNOC and BNSC to improve governance, results and efficiency across the sport fraternity.
When approached for clarity, the BNSC CEO, Tuelo Serufho, declined to comment. He could only say he is still engaged in meeting, but further details will be shared at an appropriate time. The idea to merge is believed to be Tumiso Rakgare’s biggest ambition as the Minister of Sport, sources claim.
Early this year, a paper document was presented at the table of the BNSC to further engage with the ministry to find a common ground. The paper came out with three options to be studied for the dream of merger to become reality. The first option carried within the research paper gives the ministry liberty to move all sporting codes from the BNSC administration wing to the custodianship of BNOC.
This will therefore mean that the two sports entities stand firm as they are, but proper role clarity is defined. The BNOC will provide care to the sporting codes, while BNSC will run sport policies only.is an option that Minister Tumiso Rakgare and his high-ranking cadre will have to seriously ponder on. The second possibility, according to sources, is that BNSC be allowed to administer the sports and recreation programme, which is currently under the ministry.
The think-tanks further provide the sport ministry with possibilities to empower sports codes and give them autonomy. However, the options remain tricky, but sources say it is a possibility that can craft better role clarity between the two bodies. The third option is of a total merger. This is the possibility that the Minister wants to achieve with all his heart, his close associates have told this publication.
It is also said the appointment of former BNSC CEO, Kitso Kemoeng as the Deputy Permanent Secretary was purposely revolving around the idea of fast tracking the total merger of the sports bodies. It, however, seems that the Minister is more inclined to dissolving the two bodies and form one entity. The creation of the looming body is borne out of lessons learnt from various sports governance models around the world.
In South Africa, the Sports Ministry facilitated discussions to merge the National Olympic Committee of South Africa (NOCSA) and the South African Sports Commission. Their authoritative sports body is now called South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). With the South African model well in place, Botswana is seemingly much eager to benchmark and build a sports body as a civic society-based organisation as required by the statutes of international sports bodies.
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.
Sport
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.”