Volume 52 Issue 08 - August 2014 : Sports

One would think that Botswana athletes have learnt something from Onalenna Baloyi`s unceremonious exit from Kenya`s high performance centre some years ago but alas, it appears they have not learnt a thing from that. Baloyi`s disorderly behaviour cost him a place at the centre.

However, when Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) sent distance runner, Rapula Diphoko, to the same centre to prepare him for the 2012 London Olympics Games and Rio 2016, there was much anticipation the athlete would not fall into the same trap.

Notwithstanding, when Diphoko appeared for the PPC King of the Hill Race in Gaborone recently, there was something amiss about his presence. Since athletes at the centre were not in the off season, there was no how Diphoko could be back home, except on an emergency.
If anyone said he was here for the race, I would not have bought the story because no serious athlete would travel all the way from Kenya for a less competitive race.

Instead, he could have been competing in international meets that would better prepare him for the next Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Though Diphoko bemoans his early exit from the high performance centre as a major setback in his sporting career, he says up to now he is still in dark about why he was withdrawn from Kenya.

“My life is a mess, I was relying on my talent but as it is, I am at crossroads. Nowadays, I resort to marathon competitions because it appears BAA has no plans for me,” charges Diphoko. The youngster says his plan is to enrol for a sport management course with one of the institutions to help others who have the same passion in sport.

In quite a surprise, BAA spokesperson, Ipolokeng Ramatshaba, would not shed light on why Diphoko was back in the country, save to say the association`s head, Moses Bantsi, was in a better position to explain the athlete`s premature exit from the high performance centre.

Not even Glody Dube, former BAA public relations officers, would say anything despite that he was in office when the athlete was awarded the scholarship. He also referred Kutlwano to the association`s president.

However, Bantsi blames Diphoko`s early exit from the high performance centre on the latter`s “childish behaviour”. The centre`s authorities had had enough of that, reveals Bantsi.  Diphoko`s scholarship was to prepare him for the London 2012 and Rio 2016.

 “All that crumbled when he exited the centre. Since he is our athlete we cannot give up on him but will come up with another plan though we are financially constrained,” reckons Bantsi.

The BAA president laments the athlete`s early exit as a setback for Botswana in middle and long distance races given a small pool of athletes in such categories.

Meanwhile, Bantsi says to build a pool of middle and long distance runners, BAA once requested Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) to assist them with an experienced coach based in the country. He says it would have been cheaper instead of sending athletes to foreign based centres. However, BNSC would not help owing to financial constraints as well.

“We have not lost hope and we are considering approaching other sport parents to help us. Our runners have been performing dismally in international competitions,” adds a concerned Bantsi. He says they have promising youngsters who need proper training to win the country medals.

To improve the situation, Bantsi suggests government should introduce a sports levy to help generate funds and create enough pool of competent runners. Ends

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