20 Aug 2020

Botswana Football Association (BFA) national medical commission chairperson, Dr Lone Bogwasi, says athletes were finding it difficult to adjust to lack of competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking during a live session on effects of prolonged inactivity, Dr Bogwasi said there was no doubt that athletes were finding it difficult to adjust to practice without competing.

For his part, Dr Qhiniso Francis cautioned athletes on use of supplements, saying there were advantages and disadvantages.

He said if an athlete had a joint pain and was unable to train, they could use glucose because it contained a substance that might quicken recovery. He said many athletes used supplements because they made their fitness journey easy in a shorter period.

Dr Francis said for someone to get to their peak fitness after a prolonged period of not training, they needed an average of 12 weeks, but with the help of supplements, one could reach their peak quickly.

He, however, said some supplements also interfered with physiological functions of the human body.

Furthermore, he said athletes should be wary of supplements they consumed, given that some took banned substances, which might negatively affect their careers.

World Anti-Doping Agency, he said, was always on alert, therefore elite athletes should be mindful as of which supplements they consumed.

“Whether it is a simple food, or any concoction you should be extra careful, because you might consume something that contains banned substances,” he said. ENDS