01 Jul 2021

Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) will, beginning the next financial year, implement a new funding model that will channel more funds towards excelling codes.

Chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho, told the Youth Sports and Culture committee recently that it was time more funding was provided to codes that contributed to national level goals, as envisaged in the National Vision 2036 and BNSC’s Vision 2028.

He said the new funding model would among other things, enable Botswana to produce more international and even professional level athletes; to host more international events, thus adding to the Gross Domestic Product. Moreover, it would encourage the private sector and international organisations to contribute more to sports development.

The new model would also lead to Botswana sports content being priced and bought for good money, he said.

He said the new funding model was necessary in light of the fact that more and more Batswana athletes were turning professional.

This allowed them to remain focused, which led to great improvements in their performance and better pay, he said.

He noted Botswana had 432 professional athletes.

Notable among these were Morocco-based Tumisang Orebonye, Mothusi Copper in Zambia, Mogakolodi Ngele and Thatayone Ditlhokwe in South Africa, Nijel Amos in the United States of America as well as locally-based Issac Makwala, Amantle Montsho and Ross Branch.

On the state of sport during COVID- 19 pandemic, he said things remained tough for the fraternity as the pandemic raged on.

For example, athletes have had to take pay cuts and in some instances went without any pay at all; facilities whose maintenance depended on gate takings could not be maintained, staff employed by national sports associations and clubs, just like athletes, also lost their income, he said. Ends