08 Oct 2026

The Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA), in partnership with Botswana Police Boxing Club and Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC), will host a gender-based violence (GBV) awareness tournament at the Botswana Police College in Otse on October 10.

Themed: Boxing for a Cause. Standing Against GBV, the event seeks to harness sport as a vehicle to educate the public on social ills.

Speaking during an interview BoBA publicity secretary, Kabelo Seleka said the tournament aimed to foster active community engagement while advocating against GBV.

Seleka noted that law enforcement officers confronted GBV on a daily basis, adding that combining forces with boxing clubs allowed both entities to penetrate communities with strong anti-violence messages.

“We came together as the boxing nation to raise awareness about high incidens of GBV,” Seleka added noting that they were using the boxing to see how to penetrate the community in terms of raising awareness.

A total of 17 boxing clubs across Botswana are scheduled to participate from clubs including the Police Boxing Club, Security Systems Boxing Club, Botswana Defence Force Boxing Club, University of Botswana Boxing Club, and national team boxers who are sharpening ahead of closely contested regional, continental and global tournaments before the end of the year.

Seleka explained that the tournament was open to both male and female boxers across three age divisions governed by World Boxing weight categories juniors, which are boxers under 15 years, under 19 years and 19 years and above.

Beyond spreading anti-GBV messaging Seleka highlighted that the tournament would double as a key preparation ground for junior and youth boxers scheduled to represent the country at upcoming international events, including the Youth Games in Dakar and Maputo.

The upcoming event would mark the second edition of the annual tournament following its launch last year.

Seleka emphasised that BoBA intended to maintain the event as a permanent fixture on the national sporting calendar to continuously drive community awareness. ENDS