06 Mar 2019

Sport codes are run by volunteers with the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) providing support, parliament has learnt.

Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele, said most people in sport codes were not in the employment of any sport structure.

Mr Makgalemele told Parliament that some of those trained were employees of the BNSC, Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) or board members.

Specially Elected MP, Mr Mephato Reatile, wanted the assistant minister to state the number of employees sent for further studies at Masters level or specialisation by sport codes; and provide the breakdown by departments and if none the reason why employees were not being sent for further studies.  He also wanted to know the amount spent on consultancy services in the past five years.

Mr Makgalemele said four employees graduated with a Masters of Arts in Sports Management degrees between 2004 and 2018, one employee in athletics obtained a Masters in Sports Administration in 2014 while two employees graduated with a Masters in

Olympic Studies in 2013 and 2014 from Tennis and Athletics respectively.

He said six employees graduated in the Executive Masters in Sports Organisation Management (a two year programme) between 2007 and 2017 representing volleyball, judo, and hockey.

One employee obtained a Masters of Arts in Sport Development and Coaching in 2010 from football.

On specialisation courses, Mr Makgalemele said three employees graduated in the International Coaching Course (ICC) between 2012 and 2018 and these were from handball, boxing and badminton.

He said four employees each from judo, boxing, athletics and volleyball underwent an International Coaching Enrichment and Certificate course between 2012 and 2018, noting that it was clear that a total of 14 individuals at Masters level and seven in specialisation and enrichment courses were trained.

That notwithstanding, he said the amount used on consultancy services in the last five years was approximately P1 163 614.00 spent by Botswana National Sport Commission in the areas of legal and strategy development. ENDS