Incoming sports National Federations (NF) committee members have been implored to put sports ahead of their own interests.
The call was made by the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) president Negroes Kgosietsile at the end of a seven-day course targeted at empowering newly appointed NF committee members with “necessary skills and knowledge” in sports administration.
“Do sport because you love it not because you want to benefit from it. Even for the excelling sports persons, they first love what they play and excel in it,” the BNOC president warned the new NF committee members.
Kgosietsile said NF leaders are the drivers of Botswana’s sports vision and the nation depended on their vigilance in executing their duties and taking care of the athletes.
He said the BNOC has set a target of achieving at least four Olympic medals and eight Commonwealth Games medals by 2020, and the onus is now on the new NF leaders to help Botswana reach these targets.
Kgosietsile said while the BNOC believes the target was possible, it was however up to the NF to see to it these medals are not just mere wishes.
With so much expected from the NF leaders, the BNOC president was quick to acknowledge the sacrifices they are making to ensure Botswana shines in the world stage.
“Sport in most cases is delivered by volunteers and all the participants in this course are volunteers, but they are extra-ordinary quality volunteers,” Kgosietsile said.
Participants were encouraged to share the knowledge they have acquire with their teams and colleagues in order to grow sport in our country as a whole.
They were also reminded that some of their colleagues would attest to having Advanced Sport Management course (ASMC), MEMO and other Certificates through these platforms by BNOC to enhance deliverance in duties both management and team levels.
Commenting on the course, Botswana Badminton Association (BBA) vice president (administration), Prince Molome, indicated that the course was relevant to what he is doing.
“I really benefited from what was taught in line with administering; the structure of the course emphasised on corporate governance, minimum standards, strategic planning, promoting and sponsorship and finance management and budgeting just to name a few,” Molome said.
