- Disrupts the code’s search for sponsors and partners
- BVF leader hopeful that his code will benefit from government wage subsidy even-though its not professional
TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO
Botswana Volleyball Federation (BVF) Daniel Molaodi says the damnable COVID-19 pandemic has massively disrupted their drive to look for sponsors of their league and tournaments.
The BVF national league has long been suspended after their union with Mascom elapsed and was not renewed at the end of 2018. The Molaodi-led federation is facing the same predicament in cup competitions for which there is also no one coming forward to sponsor their tournaments. JB Sports was one of their sponsors for tournaments in recent years.
With COVID-19 around, Molaodi told Gazette Sport in an interview that it is going to be even more grueling for his federation to secure sponsorships after beginning the year on a high note doing that. “Those companies that usually sponsor local sport are the ones that are helping the government with money to fight this virus,” he said. “And it may be difficult for them to aid us with funds and sponsorships when we ask for help; they are after-all also affected by the virus.”
Molaodi said his federation will however, not despair and will aggressively persist with their drive to look for sponsorships . They will not be selective when doing that and will accept help as it comes. “Whether it is short term or what because we understand the financial effects that are left by this virus,” noted Molaodi who has been at the helm of BVF for more than ten years now.
Meanwhile, the BVF head honcho informed Gazette Sport that he is hopeful that his sport code will benefit from the government wage subsidy even-though local volleyball is yet to turn professional. This after the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC) Tumelo Rakgare earlier this month announced that professional sport setups will get financial aid to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
“The tone of the message that was passed on emphasized that only professional setups that have contractual agreement will be helped,” Molaodi said. “But our argument is that local sport is yet to be fully professional. “So we told our clubs to submit requisition for the subsidy because some of them take care of these players. Our belief is that they should be helped if they can prove that they incur costs taking are of the players.”