09 Oct 2025

Botswana Paralympic team manager, Monty Ratlou has voiced concerns over disparities in how athletes participating in the World Paralympic Athletics Championships and the World Athletics Championships are rewarded.

Speaking during the Paralympics team’s celebratory luncheon on Wednesday in Gaborone, Ratlou pointed out that these were two separate entities with different reward structures.

While athletes at the World Athletics Championships are often rewarded generously, those competing in the Paralympics do not receive the same level of recognition and financial incentives.

Ratlou noted that international competitions were a vital source of income for athletes, but the reward systems at the world governing bodies remain unequal.

“A gold medalist at the World Athletics Championships is rewarded for their hard work, but the same cannot be said for the Paralympics,” he stated.

 “Our athletes are mainly driven by patriotism because mainstream sports often benefit from sponsorships and endorsements, and coaches also gain from these. Unfortunately, this is not the case in para sport,” he said.

Botswana National Sport Council (BNSC) Chairperson Marumo Morule reassured that the team would receive incentives comparable to those at the World Athletics Championships, in accordance with the country’s incentive policy.

“Under this policy, medalists will be rewarded accordingly: Bose Mokgwathi, who won a bronze medal, will receive P75,000, while Gloria Majaga and Edwin Masuge, who reached the finals, will each receive P20,000, “ he said.

Morule also expressed gratitude to government for enabling the BNSC to provide these incentives.

“We hope that as the economy improves, obtaining more funds from the government will become easier, allowing us to motivate our athletes further,” he said.

Team Botswana recently competed at the World Paralympic Athletics championships in India. ENDS