20 Dec 2020

Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO) chairperson Matlho Kgosi has paid tribute to women for continuing to fly the flag of feminism in sport despite recent spate of incidents that degrade women such as Gender Based Violence (GBV).

Speaking at the celebration of Badminton World Federation (BWF) Meritorious Service Award, which was bestowed upon Tjiyapo Mokobi-Mokhosoa, she noted that the award would give women a ray of hope.

“At WASBO, it is events like this, that give us hope that what we intend to achieve as an organisation is not in the pipeline anymore but rather on the table,” she said.

Further, Kgosi thanked both  Badminton World Federation (BWF), Badminton Confederation of Africa and Botswana Badminton Association (BBA) for recognising Mokobi-Mokhosoa.

She said Mokobi-Mokhosoa was an advocate for women and sport, adding that she had 30 years of experience.

Kgosi reminisced that during their athlete’s life, together with Mokobi- Mokhosoa, they were amongst the first team to compete at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia.

Botswana National Olympic Committee senior vice president, Tshepo Sitale said Mokobi- Mokhosoa journey in sport drew attention to all stakeholders.

Sitale said had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic, the award ceremony could had been held in Denmark and presented by the president of BWF.

“I think this alone says a lot about the status of the award, today we celebrate a woman, Mokobi- Mokhosoa is a victor in any respect,” she quipped.

He underscored that Mokobi- Mokhosoa had shown that dedication, devotion, love, sacrifice and passion could go a long way in realising one’s dream.

For his part BBA president, Kunyalala Mphinyane explained that the meritorious service award was to honour exemplary service at the national level and one must had served the game at least for 15 years.

He said Mokobi-Mokhosoa began service at badminton after being introduced to the sport while in its infancy in the early 80s.

“In 1987, she was one of the founding members of one of the oldest badminton establishments, Dikgadima Badminton Club, and as a player, she went through various structures until she earned her place in the national team and represented the country at the 1994 Commonwealth Games held in Victoria, Canada,” Mphinyane said.

“In 1998, she hung her racket and took on an administrative role as vice president-administration of Botswana Badminton Association before ascending to the high office of president in 2000. This was history in the making, the first female to assume this role at a time when women leaders were very few in sports administration roles,” he further said.

Mphinyane said she continued in various other sporting related roles as a delegate at several IOC world conferences on women and sport and serving in several other local committees and sub-committees such as BNSC awards committee; BNSC empowerment committee; WASBO member; BNOC chairperson of finance and audit committee and chairperson of the 2014 AYG Badminton Local Organising Committee inter alia.

“She made history once more by being the first female to serve as a BNOC board member in 2011,” explained Mphinyane

Receiving the award Mokobi- Mokhosoa said she was happy to have been recognised by the BWF.

She said during her tenure as BBA president, there were a lot of challenges adding that how they handled the challenges was very important for the growth of the game.

“Sometime before the tournaments, the empire would boycott the games, demanding the allowances,” she said. ends