After years of injuring his spine in a car accident, former national team full back Mosimanegape “Twizzer” Ramohibidu is disappointed by the lack of support from local football administrators. The lanky defender is confined to a wheel chair and haunted by poverty since losing his job when BCL liquidated last year.
Two years ago Ramohibidu was hospitalised for months after being involved in a car accident near Mahalapye on his way to Selibe Phikwe. The former FC Satmos player laid bare his disappointment to Sunday Standard in an interview. He said that since suffering from the accident, he has not heard anything from the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) and Botswana Football Association (BFA) despite working tirelessly for the country representing the nation at junior teams and Zebras.
Ramohibidu was among the crop of players that made history in 2012 when Botswana made its maiden appearance at the Afcon Cup. Ramohibidu played under the tutelage of Major David Bright in the national Under-23 team dubbed ‘’Dream team” before promoting to the senior team mentored by Stanley Tshosane.
‘’I have to be honest to myself; I am disappointed by lack of support from sports administrators in this country. Since I got injured none of the administrators from the BNSC and the BFA have officially checked on my recovery process. I have been injured for the past two years and it was only this past weekend that BFA vice president Marslow Motlogelwa and BFA Technical and Development Committee chairman Masego Ntshingane visited me together with my former national team mates. It is very hurting that I find myself in a situation like this, as if I have never worked hard for this country,” said Ramohibidu.
Confined to his wheelchair in his home village of Lorwana, Ramohibidu revealed that his former teammates have been supportive since the ill-fated accident. “This has been a difficult time of my life but my former national teammates have been very supportive together with the Selibe Phikwe community during my stay at the town,” Ramohibidu told Sunday Standard.
He said life had since changed to worse after being released from work by the liquidated employer leaving him with nothing to do. “It is very challenging as I have no source of income; football contributed much to my income so with this situation there is nothing much for me to do. Working at BCL as an artisan, management accepted my condition and diverted me to office work after suffering the injury but now they are no more,” said Ramohibidu.
However, the former BMC player said he was hoping to recover from the injury as the state of his spine injury is categorised under incomplete spine disorder. “With this kind of injury, healing process is unpredictable. I am told that with time I may heal and be able to walk again,” Ramohibidu told Sunday Standard.