04 Jun 2026

A high-level sports delegation from Botswana, led by Minister of Sport and Arts, Jacob Kelebeng has concluded a successful working visit to Belgrade on a strategic fact-finding mission.

The visit was to study Serbia’s elite athletic systems and forge bilateral partnerships to advance sports and culture.

Serbia is globally renowned for producing Olympic champions and dominant athletes in sporting codes such as water polo, tennis and basketball.

In that regard, Minister Kelebeng said the visit was successful, adding that the two countries deliberated on critical issues that will be mutually beneficial.

He said after extensive consultations with his Serbian counterpart, both parties officially agreed to formalise their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Kelebeng said the bilateral discussions also focused on infrastructure development, advanced sports science, and how Serbia accelerated sport development.

He said the delegation realised that Serbia has a successful  school sport and club based sport.

He said the delegation also toured University of Belgrade, which stands as Serbia’s oldest and largest higher education institution, founded in 1808.

Minister Kelebeng expressed strong interest in the university’s robust Faculty of Medicine, which features a world-class focus on sports medicine.

He said the institution has a robust faculty of medicine which was also working with countries such as England, Russia and Croatia.

Minister Kelebeng said Red Star Belgrade, which owns the most popular football club in Serbia, is a multi-sport club featuring elite divisions in football, netball, volleyball, and basketball, adding that the model acts as a powerful engine for grassroots development.

According to Kelebeng, Botswana once had coaches from Serbia amongst them Veselin Jelušić who took the Zebras to the unprecedented success, Dragojlo ‘Drago’ Stanojlović who coached premier league clubs including Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Notwane FC and Gaborone United, as well as Nikola Kavazović, who guided Township Rollers, Gaborone United, Sua Flamingoes, and Jwaneng Galaxy. ENDS