23 Oct 2016

A total of P37 million was used to sponsor sport last year, according to Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC).

BNSC chairman, Solly Reikeletseng, stated that the amount was more than 50 per cent of total funding from government, which was P70 million.

Speaking at the BNSC annual sponsors’ night in Gaborone on Thursday, Reikeletseng thanked sponsors for their assistance and gesture of goodwill.

“We are happy to have recorded a total value of P37 million as sport sponsorship for the year 2015.  We got a grant of about P70 million from government, which means we got the equivalent of 50.6 per cent of our grant, from the private sector which is good enough.  I think in the next five years, we are hoping that we will get 100 per cent,” he said.

He thus challenged more companies to come on board and help take sport forward.

He said resources from sponsors were instrumental in turning Botswana into a globally competitive nation.

“At times it might not be too obvious for yourselves what contribution you make to the country’s outstanding performance.We are gathered here to assure you that the input you make to sport has made tremendous difference,” the BNSC chief explained.

However, he indicated that his organisation needed more backing from the private sector to succeed in the rigorous process of producing top athletes.

Botswana Football Association (BFA) president, Maclean Letshwiti, thanked the commission for recognising private sector contribution in sport development.

“If you guys (private sector) don’t support sport, it will never be competitive and it will never grow.  So let me thank Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) for seeing it fit to put money into sport in order to develop sport in Botswana,” the BFA boss said.

He thus urged leaders of sport codes to make sure that companies derived value from sponsoring sport because sponsorship was not charity but an investment.

Meanwhile, the sponsors’ night was held to reward companies, organisations and individuals who provided resources towards sport programmes implemented by the commission and its affiliates.

Sponsors were given certificates of appreciation by the Commission categorised in bronze, silver gold and platinum.

The platinum sponsor award was given to BTC which sponsors the Botswana Premier League (BPL).

Orange Botswana, Debswana, Mascom Wireless, Banc ABC, Kgalagadi Breweries Limited (KBL) and BoFiNet were given gold sponsor awards. ENDS