The Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) has moved to demystify the criteria and system used in the ranking of local players. This comes after some local table tennis clubs and players expressed unease with the association’s rankings.
According to the current Men rankings Bonolo Mabote of Smash Maniacs club tops the standings, followed by Kennete Santudu of Nhabe club and Bakang Maloka respectively. Tshepiso Rebatenne of Nhabe table tennis club dominates the ladies rankings ahead of Namibo Mbulawa and Boitswarelo Butale on 2nd and 3rd respectively.
This is despite Butale having won more tournaments (2) than both Rebatenne and Mbulawa this Season. The two however sit above her in the Botswana Table Tennis Association official Rankings.
Speaking in an interview, BTTA Competition Secretary Kudzanani Motswagole said their Rankings are determined by the players’ performance and attendances of tournaments.
“The rankings are the end results of players’ performance and number of events attended. Contrary to what many assume, each and every tournament locally and internationally has its own possible points that a player can accumulate. We abide by the BTTA and ITF rules and regulations when dealing with such things,” said Motswagole.
He explained that for local events, the winner accumulates 67 points, 2nd 56 points, semi- finalists 46 points, quarter finalists 37 points, top 16: 29 points, last 32: 22 points, and group stages 16 points in all BTTA sanctioned tournaments.
She said Butale missed a few events which cost her vital points to give her rivals an advantage to lead the standings.
he further stated that rules states that if a person incur an injury in a tournament they will not be awarded points, instead they obtain points from the previous stage of the event.
“Rules require that Athletes attend tournament fully, and that they lose Points for withdrawing from Competitions for whatever reason that’s why sometimes these rankings seem to be biased even though they are not. Winning all tournaments or more tournaments does not guarantee a top spot and even the previous complete rankings matters in making the current rankings,” he explained.
Meanwhile Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) has sent a youth team to the Junior and Senior Regional Championships in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. The team was selected from the recent Botswana Integrated Sports Association Finals that were held in Gaborone last Week.
Motswagole added that “with progressive development in mind they opted to send only the juniors to acquire the much needed experience”.
Thapelo Molefhi, Tshepang Motlamme and Oratile Kedisaletse are some of the Players the BTTA have placed their hopes on.
The team is expected back home on the 19th of July.
