14 Jul 2021

Advocacy for women in sport has seen Game Mothibi gaining more recognition internationally.

She has now been appointed Africa representative in the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport.

Mothibi, who was IWG secretary when Botswana hosted IWG conference in 2018, said in an interview on Tuesday that the appointment came at a time when IWG would be moving from New Zealand to a new host.

She said the new executive board was appointed to drive the IWG from 2022/26, adding however, that she was appointed early because death robbed Africa one of its icons; Matilda Mwaba.

 She would finish Mwaba’s term in 2022, then start her term from 2022 to 2026 with the new host.

Mothibi said her responsibilities would include positioning women in sport in Africa and to share the work done by African women in sport. 

She said her other tasks would be to encourage women to partake in sport and to ensure Africa was represented in the global women and sport movement.

Mothibi said she would assist to build the women sport Africa network and register members who would work together to drive women and sport in Africa.

“I am also committing to encourage more research from Africa on women and sport as well as to continue the IWG legacy of hosting the Africa Conference consistently now,” she said 

Meanwhile, a media statement from IWG says Mothibi will move from her current position of co-opted member to the position of Africa representative for the next four years. 

It says her new role would see her represent the pan-African voice.

The statement says Mothibi was formerly the secretary general of the IWG secretariat and conference 2014 /18 in Botswana.

 She started her advocacy for women in sport and sport development as a volunteer, working at the then Botswana National Sport Council for several years before eventually becoming a board member of the national Olympic committee. Ends