29 Jun 2021

Acting Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) chief executive officer, Wedu Motswetla says preparations for the Tokyo-bound team are going well. 

Briefing Youth, Sports and Culture committee in Gaborone on Monday, Motswetla said as part of the team’s preparations, the team had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The team, she said was vaccinated in two batches. 

“The first batch got their first dose on June 10 and they will take their second dose today, while the second batch was vaccinated on June 18 and will get their second dose on July 12,” she said.

She also told the committee that so far, Botswana had qualified 14 athletes, stating that in track and field events, Amantle Montsho, Christine Botlogetswe, Galefele Moroko and Isaac Makwala would compete in the 400m event. 

Makwala will also  feature in 200 metres.

In addition, she said Nijel Amos would feature in 800m. 

She said there would also be a 4x400m relay team, made up of six athletes. 

In boxing, she said Rajab Mohammed would compete in 52kg adding that the country had made history as for the first time, they would be female representations in boxing and weight lighting in Keamogetse Kenosi in 57kg and Magdalene Moyengwa in 59kg categories respectively. 

Motswetla said they had also been offered a tripartite placement in swimming through James Freeman in 400m free style.

She pointed out that their plan was to qualify at least 15 athletes to the Olympics. 

She also allayed fears that Olympics might not go ahead as planned saying Japan would deliver simple, secure and safe event. 

She said the games billed for July 23 to August 8 would go ahead as planned.

Motswetla said the local organising committee, IOC and Japanese government had assured the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that they would deliver as expected.

Meanwhile, member of the committee, David Tshere applauded BNOC for doing a sterling job in its preparations for the Olympics.

Another member of the committee, Thapelo Letsholo wanted to know the number of targeted medals set before COVID-19 pandemic and after the advent of the pandemic, to which Motswetla responded by saying their target was four medals before the outbreak of the coronavirus, which had since been reduced to two with no colour.  

On the issue that was raised by Tshere on grievances which Makwala raised in his Facebook page recently, Motswetla said they had athletes commission in place, which was an organ that was created to listen to athletes concerns.

This was reiterated by Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) chief executive officer, Tuelo serufho, who said he had watched Makwala’s video adding that they took issues he raised very seriously.

Makwala in his Facebook page said BNSC had snubbed him in some awards even though he was deserving and Serufho said there was a criteria used to award athletes.

He said the adjudication committee were guided by information submitted to them by National Sport Associations (NSA).

“It is only NSA’s that can validate the results obtained by their athletes to the extent of  the information that was provided and the scoring that was given by the adjudication committee. 

I am quite confident to say  there was no cheating or favouritism,” he said. Ends