TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO
Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA)’s plan to return competitions has been disrupted by the need to test boxers by local boxing clubs, Gazette Sport has established. BoBA, like some sporting codes (contact sporting codes) is only allowed to schedule competitive events and training when they meet the COVID-19 protocols and regulations which among others include the testing of athletes.
However, after months of hibernation, BoBA was plotting its return to competitive events with a club tournament that was scheduled to take place on July 25. “ We are yet to return to competitive events because we do not have the financial muscle to sponsor clubs to conduct tests during their respective training,” he said. “I mean clubs are obliged to conduct tests during their training as there is contact there and helping them could have been difficult for us as we have over 14 clubs which have more than 20 boxers.”
Tlouetsile noted that BoBA was ready to return to competitive events if it was not of the need to test boxers during training by clubs. “Our budget only catered for us to carry out tests during tournaments only,” he said. Tlouetsile went on to note that his association is not certain if it should cancel the 2020 calendar of events, “ that is because we do not know will happen with the pandemic in the near future.”
The BoBA spokesperson highlighted that they are working on a national team training schedule that will be submitted at Botswana National Olympic Committee in the near future. “That is because we want our team to get on training camp as soon as we can as we continue to prepare for the Olympics,” he noted. By far, only one boxer in Keamogetse Kenosi has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics being the first local woman boxer to qualify for the Olympics in the history of the country.