15 Mar 2016

Doping scandals around the world are giving sport administrators sleepless nights. 

It is against this backdrop that the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) has organised a three-day Olympic Solidarity Sports Science and Medicine course to capacitate medical practitioners on issues related to doping.

Officially opening the course, BNOC president, Negros Kgosietsile said the training comes at a time when doping has ascended the agenda in global sport.

He added that doping was about individuals trying to take short cuts to sporting success. 

He said the programme intends to bring about a world where natural athletes excel.

Kgosietsile further said it was important that participants put what they have learnt into practice. “Do your best and doors will open. 

If you excel, you will end up being somebody at the Olympic or Commonwealth Games, and that can only come through hard work,” he said.

He noted that it has taken Botswana years to have world beaters, and said BNOC wants medical practitioners to be part of the success.

BNOC chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho said they were learning from the Botswana Long-Term Athletic Development Framework, which states that in order develop high performing athletes, there was a need for high performing structures.

He said talented athletes would not reach their potential unless they were surrounded by equally competent administrators, coaches, medical practitioners and other members of the support staff.

Serufho said for the country to keep on producing top athletes such as Nijel Amos, Isaac Makwala and Naomi Ruele and to keep them at that level, medical practitioners should also be at par with athletes, so that they could give athletes the support they need. 

He encouraged participants to engage the facilitators as much as possible and to keep communication lines open after the training so that they could continue to enjoy expert support.

He said Botswana would not want to regress in terms of winning medals in Rio. 

He added that BNOC was looking to Amos to better his 2012 silver-winning performance.

He said that could only be achieved if medical practitioners work closely with athletes and engage national federations.

The aim of the course was to bring experts to drill medical practitioners on issues relating to doping, emergencies and epilepsy in sport. Ends