28 Jun 2015

Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) and South African National Boxing Organisation (SANABO) have signed a working agreement dubbed Road to Rio and Beyond.

The agreement was signed in Gaborone on Saturday (June 27). BoBA and SANABO were optimistic that the  marriage would enhance boxing standards in the two countries and make a mark in international meets.

BoBA president, Thato Patlakwe, said they would commit to the agreement with hope that it would unravel and decisively deal with the challenges currently engulfing boxing.

Patlakwe also expressed hope that the cooperation would ensure that such challenges were turned into opportunities to benefit the two associations.
He said their desire was for the marriage to also benefit other stakeholders, especially the boxers.

Patlakwe was also optimistic that working with SANABO would help the two countries’ strategic goals by adopting a collective approach to ensure sustainable development.

“We are highly motivated and believe that we can and we will deliver better outcomes for the boxing children of both countries in Rio 2016 and beyond,” he said.

He was also hopeful that the marriage would help them make boxing development easier, hence intent to be creative in how they do things and explore one another’s strengths.

Further, Patlakwe said their intention was also to enhance the image and reputation of boxing thus hopeful that the two countries would work as a team for optimum results.
Meanwhile, SANABO president, Andile Mofu said Botswana and South Africa have had a working relationship though it was not official.

Mofu said getting into a twinning agreement would ensure open boxing development in the two countries.

He indicated that boxing clubs in both countries continued to produce talented boxers, adding “we therefore need to put plans afoot to raise the standard in time to launch a stronger challenge at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and also to prepare for 2020 Olympic Games.

”SANABO president further said with the possibility of South Africa hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the two countries had to start preparations in earnest to be able to showcase their boxing talent to the rest of the world.

Mofu said the principal purpose of the initiative was to direct their attention and endeavours towards achievement of not merely commendable, but spectacular performances at the 2016 Olympic Games and beyond.

He said dismal performances must now be relegated to history, and thus hopeful that the agreement would yield positive results that would see their flags hoisted in all boxing meets.

The agreement’s areas of priorities include coaches, referees and judges’ development, tournaments, women’s boxing development and training camps. Programmes would be evaluated annually.

On the other hand, Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) representative, Nonofo Letshwenyo said they were impressed that BoBA had deployed other interventions in their quest to improve the sport.

Letshwenyo said such partnerships were worthy and bridged gaps where limitations existed. Consequently, she expressed hope that other codes would follow suit to further their trades. Ends