02 Jul 2019

The newly elected Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) president, Paphane Botlhale has promised to take athletics to greater heights.

In his acceptance speech recently, Botlhale thanked the affiliates for giving him the mandate to drive one of the better performing sport codes, which had displayed the potential to hoist the national flag high in global competition.

“I will also like to thank my predecessor, Thari Mooketsi and his team. I must also say no one has lost in this election, but it is athletics that has won,” he said.

He said his newly elected team had a mammoth task ahead of them, given that there was a lot of work that needs to be done in transforming the code.

Botlhale further said first on their ‘to do list’ was to resuscitate the structures and ensure that athletics reached the breadth and width of the country.

Furthermore, he said it was very prudent that Batswana had a feel of athletics and understand what it entailed.

In terms of development, he said it was also important to identify all athletes regardless of their location so that they also had the opportunity to prove their mettle and represent their country in different competitions.

For some time, Botlhale said BAA had experienced a dry spell in terms of sponsorships, adding that he was confident the new committee would be able to appeal to the corporate world.

He said their intention was to draw proposals that would convince the corporate world that athletics was in a good position to partner with.

“We are going to develop a partnership because to achieve your dreams you have to work with everybody, you have to develop partnerships and make sure you nurture them,” he said.

He said they would also ensure that they work hand in hand with their key stakeholders amongst them Botswana National Sport Commission, Botswana National Olympic Committee and other affiliates like Botswana Integrated Sports Association, Botswana Primary Schools Sport Association and Botswana Tertiary Student Sports Association.

Meanwhile, during the elections, Phapane was voted by nine while Thari Mooketsi garnered eight-vote for the post of president.

For the post of vice president - sports development, Botlhale had to break the tie between Tshepo Kelaotswe and Kenneth Kikwe after the two tied twice and elected Kelaotswe to be his vice president.

In the first votes, Kelaotswe and Kikwe tied with eight votes while Rampa Mosweu garnered one vote.

During the second round, the two garnered eight votes each again, and Botlhale had to use BAA constitution article 24.1.13 which states that ‘the president has both a casting vote in an event of there being an equal number of votes received for and against any motion at any meeting of the association’.

Oabona Theetso was elected vice president - sport administration with seven delegates while Major Edward Joseph was elected by six and Olebogeng Oitebetse got four votes.

Raymond Phale won the position of vice president - finance and administration beating Sakarea Rebaone with 10-7 votes.

The new regional coordinators are Amogelang Masugae, Doctor Mandau, Keamogetse Rancholo, and Mpho Bagwasi. Ends