Vice President Slumber Tsogwane and sports minister Tumiso Rakgare will be among highly knowledgeable oracles of the beautiful game from around the world – among them Bernat Villa Gorriz of Barcelona Academy – when the first Botswana Football Summit gets underway in Gaborone on 24 March
GAZETTE REPORTER
In an effort to foster dialogue and strategic discussions within the local football community, Blacksmith Communications and Power Play Sports Group are gearing up to host the Botswana Football Summit.
The event, which is scheduled to take place from 22 to 24 March 2024 in Gaborone, will bring together prominent local and international figures in the sports sector to tackle critical topics such as football management, sports sponsorship and contract management.
According to the official summit website, distinguished attendees will include the Vice President of Botswana Slumber Tsogwane, sports minister Tumiso Rakgare, and entrepreneurship minister Karabo Gare.
Diverse array
In addition, the summit is expected to attract a diverse array of professionals, including players, administrators, technical personnel, media representatives, and private sector leaders.
Chris Bullock, a sports management consultant with a rich background in southern Africa, will be among esteemed speakers at the summit. Hailing from the UK, Bullock previously served as the Director of Football for Kick4Life Football Club in Lesotho, where he played a pivotal role in securing the club’s promotion to Lesotho’s Premier League.
His expertise extends to his tenure as Secretary General of the Lesotho Football Association and consultancy work in Cape Town, South Africa, as well as projects with Umbro and establishment of Chris Bullock Football Management Consultancy.
Football development
Bolstering the international flavour of the summit will be Bernat Villa Gorriz, the Technical Director of Barcelona Academy, overseeing FC Barcelona’s academies in Africa, America, and Europe. Boasting 15 years of coaching experience with various Catalan clubs, Gorriz is set to share his insights into football development.
Tresor Penku, La Liga’s Africa Managing Director, is also slated to speak at the Botswana Football Summit, bringing a wealth of experience to the discussions.
The event will be further enriched with a lineup of other distinguished international speakers who are expected to share their perspectives on the growth and future dynamics of the beautiful game.
World Football Summit
On the local front, Molefi Obenne, the first Motswana panelist at the World Football Summit Africa in 2022 and participant at the Football Innovation Forum in 2023, will contribute his expertise.
Obenne, a trained professional who collaborated with the Botswana Football League (BFL) and UEFA in developing the BFL strategy in 2022, is set to offer valuable insights. Solomon Ramochotlhwane, another confirmed local speaker, will also bring his expertise to the summit.
The Organiser of Summit, Owe Mmolawa, is keen about the event’s potential impact on shaping the future of football in Botswana and is appealing to the private sector to come on board and support the event.
“Any kind of support is welcome, whether monetary or in kind,” he said in an interview. “We will highly appreciate it.”