Lack Of Funds Pushes BVF To Consider Postponing Volleyball Tourney
GAZETTE REPORTER
Botswana Volleyball Federation (BVF) is seeking to postpone the highly anticipated Beach Volleyball Zonal series scheduled for Gaborone, Botswana this week due to financial challenges. The tournament, that is played in a league format, has already taken place in Mozambique and South Africa in March and April respectively and it is Botswana’s chance to host the region in this fast-growing sport across Southern Africa.
The preparations and whole organisation of this tournament has been a headache to the newly elected BVF executive committee who have been struggling to get sponsors on board because they have just settled in. The tournament approximately needs over P150 000 which includes preparing beach grounds, facilitating the tournaments, hosting of confirmed teams and other logistics. information reaching this publication from a source withing the organising committee is that BVF has written to the zone 6 committee pleading for postponement of the tournament owing to lack of funds.
“It is a pity that we cannot host the tournament at the time that we could have done so because there is no money. The leadership have been hard at work trying to lure in sponsors to support this upcoming event, but their efforts went futile because some cited short notice and some were citing issues of lack of funds due to COVID-19 setbacks which we all understand,” said the source.
The national sport associations have been struggling to host or attend any tournaments, locally, regionally and internationally due to lack of funds which is supposed to be routed through BNSC by Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture.
They further stated that Zone 6 had no problem with Botswana postponing the tournament, but the decision lies with the confirmed teams if that would not be an inconvenience for them. “There are 24 men and 19 Women’s teams that have already confirmed their participation to this tournament and after they are clear with their financial status, they will have to notify the Zone 6 committee, so they inform teams about the postponement which they estimate to be two weeks. It will depend on whether the proposed dates favour the teams or not so we will be looking to see on how things will unfold. Teams were really looking forward to coming to Botswana looking at the numbers that have already confirmed unlike the past games in Maputo and Durban where the turnout was not that good,”.
Botswana Beach Volleyball Teams comprises four pairs (2 men and 2 women teams) made of Tiroyaone Otimile (Captain), Tony Orapeleng, Jack Sekao and George Chiswaniso making the men’s team whereas the women’s team is made up of Tracy Chaba, Tsebo Marape, Ngirl Wright and Thapelo Kamberuka. The pair of Sekao and Chiswaniso won a bronze medal at the first series that was held in Mozambique in March while other pairs missed the podium finish by a whisker as they finished fourth in their respective categories.