- Alleged criminal record discovered in a background check
- Mogotsakgotla was dropped as a team manager for AUSC Region 5 Games
GAZETTE REPORTER
The Botswana Boxing Association (BOBA) has confirmed the suspension of its vice president, Othusitse Mogotsakgotla, for an alleged criminal record that he had not disclosed.
Mogotsakgotla was suspended with immediate effect pending a disciplinary hearing before the BOBA executive committee.
This comes after Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) used fingerprints to run background checks on officials appointed to the Africa Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Games, that were held in Lilongwe, Malawi in December last year, as team managers.
Mogotsakgotla was dropped from the assignment.
A source close to BOBA says no one was aware of this allegation around Mogotsakgotla at the time of elections last year when he was voted into office as vice president. “He was generally a trusted figure within the boxing fraternity,” the source told Gazette Sports.
Internal matter
However, BOBA would not provide any more details, saying the position of the organisation is that the matter should be handled internally before communicating further with the public.
Upon being contacted, Mogotsakgotla himself said he was not aware of any suspension and had not received any form of communication from BOBA pertaining to a suspension.
“I have been experiencing network problems lately, maybe that’s why I haven’t received anything of that nature,” he said. “I have no idea where a suspension would come from because I have not done anything wrong and have never had any problems with anyone in BOBA.
“But some people can make uninformed decisions and don’t follow the right procedure. Such people are an embarrassment to the association and can destroy the sport with their abuse of power.”