16 Feb 2015

Over the years, track and field stars have come and varnished without trace or anyone being able to account for their whereabouts, something that has affected consistency in performance.

Clearly this has been so because less has been done for these athletes.  The few that managed to make their names in international athletics circles were criticised on how they spent their hard earned cash.

This state of affairs seems to have not only disturbed the public but the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) as the association has come up with Community Social Responsibility (CSR) arm to help address the concerns. 

BAA president ,Moses Bantsi, said they have realised that athletes welfare requires the association's attention if they were to realise results from their athletes.

The newly elected head said some of their athletes come from disadvantaged families and said that alone make them vulnerable to exploitation, saying such short lives the athletes careers.  He said through the CSR, they intend to assist athletes from humble beginnings to ensure that they are not disadvantaged by their status.

Bantsi said that with a sound CSR plan, they intend to help the affected athletes to ensure that they unleash their full potential. “One of our objectives is to give the disadvantaged sports persons a dignified existence. We will identify their needs and meet them; some need shelter whilst others need life skills, which we intend to meet.”

He further said they are positive that with the CSR programme in place, the number of early retirement or athletes who disappear into thin air will reduce.  He said the programme will assist all the athletes, to prepare them for life after athletics and help them maintain their status.

The association wants to ensure that their retired athletes’ welfare is admirable and said it is disturbing to see former champion leading a pathetic life due to lack of plan and support.

He said the Olympic Charter views sport as a tool that can be used to improve lives and said that their vision is in line with that. “We should not expect results from the athletes and ignore other components that complete them and it is our hope that individuals and companies will buy into the idea to partner with us,” he said.

Bantsi noted that they believe that through the CSR efforts they want the athletes to realise that they are part of the larger society and feel obliged to contribute beside the sporting activities, hence their decision to give some life skills. He said they are still working on the draft and hopes that they will launch the CSR arm shortly.

Former 800m champion Glody Dube said the CSR will bridge the gap between athletes from different backgrounds. He said in the past, they had competitive athletes who dropped because of pregnancy and drug abuse among others due to lack of guidance and support. He said such athletes were not tracked despite their talent.

“This is going to boost the athletes’ self-esteem and also give them direction in life.” He said most former stars that raised the country’s flags are roaming the streets as most of them concentrated in sport only. ENDS