01 Nov 2015

For a long time women in sport have not been making it to top positions of administration in different sporting codes, but rather spent most of their time playing the gender card.

In an effort to bridge the gap between the high number of men in sport administration as opposed to women, the Botswana National Olympic Committee has come up with a strategic objective of women empowerment in sport.

Part of the women empowerment strategy is to train women in sport administration so that they add value in sport.

On Friday, 25 women from different sporting codes graduated in sport administration, facilitated by the BNOC.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, BNOC board member, Bernadette Moruti told the graduates that they were the legacy of Botswana sport; hence they should implement what they were taught.

She said the country would be hosting an international working group conference in 2018, and that the trained women should be in a position to take the baton and take sport to greater heights.

The BNOC, she said, has invested in them so that they could do great things for Botswana sport. 

“But the only thing that I request from you is, please do not disappear after this course because we are expecting a lot from you as women sport administrators,” she said.

Moruti further urged them to work hard and challenge themselves to do better in their respective codes. Course facilitator, Girish Ramakrishna said training women as sport administrator was a good development for Botswana sport.

He said the course entailed basics of management of decision making, good governance, communication, strategic planning, financial management and sponsorship.

Ramakrishna said he was confident that all 25 women have benefited from the course, adding that expectations were that they would help their code in accountability and good governance area.

One of the graduands, Masego Moiya, who is BISA North Central zonal coordinator, said sports administration has been dominated by their male counterparts. She said she was happy that nowadays women were challenging men for top positions of sport administration. Moiya said the course would help them run their codes properly and bring change to Botswana sport. Ends