10 Aug 2015

The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture plans to build the first sport academy during National Development Plan (NDP) II.

The Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Mr Thapelo Olopeng told Parliament that it was government policy to build sport academies for sport development and promotion, in line with the objectives of the 2001 National Sport and Recreation Policy for Botswana.

Mr Olopeng said the academy would be built with a view to nurture talent across all sport codes. 

He said development of the sport academy beyond the one anticipated, would be considered in future subject to resources availability and other competing national priorities.

Mr Olopeng explained that he was not in a position to state when exactly other academies would be built. Selibe Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had asked the minister whether it was government policy not to build sport academies for sport development, and if not, when the first academy would be built, and for what specific purposes and when others would be built. ENDS