With LA 2028 approaching, Botswana’s Olympic squash hopes hinge on sustained funding and international preparation.
BONGANI MALUNGA
Botswana squash has set its sights on making history at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games but the country’s pursuit of an unprecedented appearance on the world’s biggest sporting stage has triggered an urgent appeal for government and corporate backing.
With squash preparing to make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles, the Botswana Squash Rackets Association (BSRA) is mobilising support to ensure that Team Botswana does not miss out on the historic opportunity.
Speaking during the World Squash Day commemoration at the National Squash Centre in Gaborone last Saturday, association official Charmaine Koveya appealed to government, the private sector and the wider community to rally behind the national team’s Olympic ambitions.
OLYMPIC DEBUT
“As a sport, squash will be played at the Olympics for the first time. Our main objective is to target the LA 2028 Games. To get there, it’s a journey whereby we must first get through the hurdle of the Africa Games which are scheduled to take place in August 2027 in Egypt,” she said.
Botswana’s Olympic aspirations face a demanding qualification landscape, with only 16 players in each of the men’s and women’s singles competitions at LA 2028. The association has already outlined its immediate preparations, with Team Botswana scheduled to face regional rivals Zimbabwe and Zambia in friendly matches over the next two months.
ASSESSING COMPETITIVE READINESS
These encounters will provide a crucial opportunity for the national team to assess its competitive readiness, sharpen its combinations and gain valuable international exposure ahead of more demanding continental assignments.
Attention will subsequently shift to Egypt, where the African Games are scheduled to take place from 27 August to 10 September 2027.
Koveya believes that Botswana’s journey towards Olympic participation must be supported by a collective national effort, particularly as the association seeks resources to sustain its international ambitions.
“Through such challenges and efforts that we are making in our little corner as Botswana Squash, we hope that we can also be supported by the rest of the community in Botswana,” she said. LA 2028 represents more than an opportunity to compete for Botswana as it offers the sport a chance to elevate its domestic profile and establish itself on the international stage.
However, turning that ambition into reality will require sustained investment, international exposure and competitive preparation. The Olympic dream is taking shape but securing the resources to pursue it remains a crucial first hurdle.