08 Jan 2019

Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) will hold its elective general assembly in April to usher in new leadership.

The association is currently led by Thari Mooketsi and has been holding the fort since 2017. 

BOPA reporter, Anastacia Sibanda talked to some sport reporters to find out from them what kind of leadership is needed to drive the athletics’ agenda.

Sunday Standard sport journalist, Botlhale Koothopile said BAA needed capable administrators, who would serve the association unreservedly. 

Athletics, he said was a sporting code with a huge potential adding that it needed visionary leadership, which could deliver the results.

Koothopile said there was need for the association to introspect and find out if some of the people who wanted to be part of BAA’s leadership wanted to serve their interests or that of sport.

One of the challenges faced by the association, he said  was ‘boardroom squabbles’ which had led to lack of stability. 

That, he said could be one of the reasons the association was failing to  attract sponsors.

“BAA has been subjected to countless coup attempts by self-serving individuals.  Moses Bantsi-led committee faced countless motions of no confidence and a court case,” he said.  

“Since the people who instigated such are now in charge, there has been a bit of stability despite them proving incapable to lead at most times. 

I therefore have fear that should the current committee lose elections, they might start causing problems for whoever is elected. 

They may even resuscitate the pending court case and BAA will once again be unstable and divided,” he said. 

Yarona FM sport presenter, Fox Phatsimo also called for affiliates to vote for credible leaders.

He said athletics needed a global driven leader.

He said the code needed someone, who would think broadly and be on par with other administrators in the world.“It should be a leader who will work  hard to attain the highest accreditation in administration and coaching. 

The leadership should equip itself with modern methods of governance and then they will be able to elevate the association to a new level,” Fox said. 

Sport Writers Association of Botswana (SWABO) president, Leatile Mmutle said athletics must redefine itself so as to able to attract potential sponsors. 

BAA, he said was one of the best performing sport code, but lagged behind in luring sponsorships, hence they need to introspect and find ways of attracting sponsors.

Mmutle said the new leadership should also push the agenda of having a fully resourced secretariat, given that the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development had long promised to finance it. 

The project, he said had been on hold for a while adding that it must be fast tracked so that professionals who could guide on issues such as looking for sponsorship could be employed.

“It is not good for a code like athletics to not have professionals who work in the office daily. Volunteering can only take BAA to a certain level. For sustainability and keeping up with the pace of the ever changing environment, the association need professionals,” he said. Ends