Newly appointed Botswana Football Association (BFA) acting Vice President (VP) Administration, Basadi Baboletse Akoonyatse says she is relishing the challenge of assuming the vacant position. Speaking in an interview, the newly appointed BFA VP Administration says there will be no trepidation when she starts work in her new role. “Working in football administration is very interesting and difficult at the same time. This is a very interesting challenge and I am really looking forward to my next ten months working in this position,” Akoonyatse says.
Having been in the BFA National Executive Committee (NEC) for over three years now, the new BFA VP Administration says she is confident in her abilities to carry out all duties required of her, adding that her election to the office is a sure sign of the confidence the BFA NEC has on her. “Having worked in the BFA NEC for three years, I believe that my election shows the trust my fellow committee members have on me. Having worked with me, they know my capabilities, hence they have no problems entrusting me with more responsibilities,” Akoonyatse said. She says her appointment shows that even in male dominated sport administration of football, women can be entrusted with more responsibilities if they prove their worth. “Even while I was at Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO), I always advocated for women to be appointed to positions based on their abilities, not their gender,” the incoming BFA VP Administration opined.
On what it takes for women to succeed, Akoonyatse said they have to understand themselves and believe in themselves. “As a woman, you need to be very principled and very firm on what you believe in. You have to have a stand, but at the same time, you have to entertain differing opinions and where need be, be flexible enough to change your stance if you are convinced enough,” Akoonyatse said. The appointment of Akoonyatse follows after expelled former Vice President – Administration, Tariq Babitseng. A sport physiotherapist by profession, Akoonyatse first joined the BFA National Executive Committee (NEC) in 2012 as an Additional Member of the NEC. Prior to that, she served for many years as Chairperson of BFA Medical Committee.
The new BFA VP Administration will hold her new position in the BFA NEC up to July 2016 when the BFA will go through elections to elect new members of the NEC. The incoming BFA VP Administration is a very well experienced anti doping officer and administrator. She has also served a term as Chairperson of Women in Sport Botswana (WASBO), as well as serving in other forums at the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) and the then Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) in the past years. As an anti doping officer, Akoonyatse was also head of the medical desk at the Botswana Africa Youth Games Organising Committee (BAYGOC) secretariat. She has also served in CAF Medical Committee, and is a member of the National Advisory Anti-Doping Committee. She is also a CAF Match Commissioner.
