29 Jul 2026

The inaugural training on sports for mobility under the International Paralympic Committee (IPC)’s development model that was held in Mochudi recently saw at least 55 trainees being roped in for enrolment into para sports training sponsored by the IPC and Toyota Mobility Foundation.

The sports for mobility is a pathway for Paralympic development and the two-day training was followed by a sport festival, with the intention of scouting for talent in different sporting codes and preparing local talent for upcoming international Paralympic Games.

In an interview, the Paralympic Association of Botswana (PASSOBO) president, Tshepo Mafereka said the training was meant to expand sporting activities for people living with disabilities, empowering trainees about para sport and coaching, refereeing and officiating in order for them to be able to scout for talent in schools and different institutions that dealt with people with disabilities.

Mafereka said training would in future create a platform for individual mentoring and follow-up sessions that would ensure that participants were guided for the Paralympics.

“Many Batswana do not participate in para sport because they are not aware of its existence and PASSOBO reaching out to IPC is meant to grow talent in Botswana,” he said.

He said the para sport festival featured five codes including blind football, wheelchair tennis, goal ball, para-athletics, para powerlifting to expose people with disabilities to different sporting codes.

“We demonstrated these sporting codes for children and community of people disabilities in Mochudi and surrounding villages for them to appreciate and carve their paths in what they were interested in,” he said.

He said four districts had been identified for the launch of sport festival and Kgatleng was the starting point as it hosts a number of institutions for people with disabilities.

He said other launches would be held in Palapye, Francistown and Jwaneng.

Mafereka said the intention was to win the support of communities to ensure that the work of unearthing talent did not lie with PASSOBO alone.

The move, he said would further increase grassroots participation in para sport and help in the establishment of a sustainable national para-athlete pathway.

Deputy chief executive officer of IPC, Kristina Molloy said the intention for training locals and launching para sport festivals was meant to attract more people with disabilities to participate in sports even at the elite level of Paralympic Games.

She said the IPC worked with 185 committees across the world to build capacity for more coaches and officials so that more people with disabilities could have the chance to participate in para sport

For his part, director of sports in the Ministry of Sports and Arts, Moeti Godisamang said the ministry remained committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate, compere and excel in sport at every level.

In that regard, he said the sport festival provided an excellent platform to showcase a range of para sport activities available in Botswana.

Godisamang encouraged community members to appreciate not only the athletic ability on display, but the determination, resilience and discipline that athletes demonstrated every day.

He commended PASSOBO for the continued commitment to advancing para sport in Botswana. ENDS