24 Mar 2014

Eight jewels of sport who have profoundly contributed to sports in Botswana were on March 20 inducted into Botswana Sports Hall of Fame at the inaugural induction ceremony at the National Stadium.

These seven men and one woman have served Botswana in different capacities and setting a roadmap in sport so that their achievements could be celebrated today.

The late Euphemia Tlhapane, the only woman in the inaugural induction, started her involvement in Botswana tennis in 1970 as a tennis coach and she went on to serve as an administrator in local, regional and international tennis federations.

Cuthbert Motsepe is regarded as a community developer who contributed immensely to football development and further served in various leadership roles in sport bodies.

The late William 'Paymaster' Dennison captured the hearts of many soccer lovers in the 60’s playing for Real Swingers and later Mahalapye Queens Park Rangers and subsequently voted best player on the top all-time best players in Botswana survey published on “football through the years 1996- 2006”.

Former vice president, the late Peter Mmusi, was a keen sportsman and football administrator having been the founding chairperson of BNSC and secretary general for BFA. He had been a remarkable goalkeeper during his time.

Nicholas 'Lele' Sebele has served football in various football capacities from a players, coach, referee and administrator. After suffering stroke, he continued to serve sports and once served as president of Paralympics Association of Botswana (PASSOBO) proving that disability is not inability.

Reuben 'Raj' Rathedi served sports for more than 30 years in different codes as a coach and administrator. He was awarded numerous sports awards and having been inducted to the University of Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

Ishmael Bhamjee is a former footballer and first Motswana to qualify as FIFA referee and to officiate at international games. He has served on different sport bodies internationally and amassed many awards.

The final inductee former vice president, Lt Gen. Mompati Merafhe was a keen sports administrator who has simultaneously served both BNSC and BNOC as chairperson. Among his accolades he is credited for having played a leading role in raising funds for the construction of the National Stadium. 

Speaking at the inaugural event, the Minister of Youth Sports and Culture,  Shaw Kgathi, said the Sports Hall of Fame would capture and display the country’s proud sporting heritage for future generations. “If we fail to capture these stories, contributions and achievements, we will have failed to write our own history and have no past to speak of,” he said.

Kgathi said these legends had set trends and pace for generations that follow them having graced the dusty sport grounds at a time when sport facilities were nonexistent.

 He said recognition and reward of sporting legends through a sports hall of fame is the highest honour Botswana sport could give to its sons and daughters.

He said throughout the world countries use the Hall of Fame initiative to encourage the recognition of their sporting heroes and promote greater awareness of the achievements of their athletes.

“I am happy that we have made this modest start and will build it in to a state of the art facility,” he said.

The minister urged the BNSC to remain committed to the idea and the sporting fraternity to support it and build it in to a sport museum which he said will increase the contribution of sport to the economy through sport tourism.

BNSC will continue to honour more sport heroes and has since invited the public to bring fourth nominees who will then be assessed by the board and inducted in to a permanent centre or museum that is still to be built. Ends