08 Jul 2014

Coca Cola Company will over the next three years provide sponsorship the Botswana Integrated sports Association to the tune of P3 450 000. The money will be used to fund the annual junior and senior schools national football tournament. 

The company which sponsored the Football Association (FA) cup for 20 years has now shifted their focus towards development. 

Local football legend Diphetogo “Dipsy” Selolwane has been appointed as the tournament ambassador. 

The Coca Cola Copa, as it has been dubbed was officially launched by Coca Cola Company on Thursday, July 3 and the sports fraternity was there to witness history in the making.

Speaking during the launch, Botswana Football Association President Tebogo Sebego said BFA would make sure the relationship between the company and the association was sustained. 

He said BISA should work with them so the marriage would become fruitful. “Let’s create hope for the young ones with this partnership” he said. 

He said children should be shown that football can be a life career and he cited Selolwane as an example. Sebego said the day marked a new chapter in youth development. 

For his part, the tournament ambassador Selolwane hailed Coca Cola’s contribution towards Botswana football over the years. 

He said football development was a key role going forward before declaring the sponsorship as the birth of a new spectacle. “We need to make sure that our children are excited about football” he said. Selolwane said football development was a talent pipeline where new stars were born to become national heroes. 

“We need to show Botswana and the world where heroes are made,” said Selolwane who is a product of collective efforts from Botswana football. 

Also speaking during the launch was the Botswana national sports council chairperson Solly Reikeletseng who commended Selolwane for his service to the country throughout the years as he wore the nation colours. 

He also applauded BISA for finding the right partners because getting sponsors was never easy. Reikeletseng said the Coca Cola copa would help the children to develop skills from junior level right to the pinnacle. 

He said Botswana sports could never get anywhere without the help of companies like Coca Cola. 

Accepting the cheque from the managing director of KBL Johan De Kok, BISA president Joshua Gaotlhobogwe said the day was very important for BISA. 

“This is a marriage of convenience and we will obey what is in the contract” he said. 

Gaotlhobogwe said they would continue to seek help from BFA and finish what they started with KBL. He said they used to have about 9600 athletes in the past and the number would increase to 17200 athletes this year. ENDS