COMPANIES urged to help sportS development
Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Culture Development, Phillip Makgalemele yesterday reproached the private sector for not assisting sport development in the country. Makgalemele was speaking at the SMS Donation campaign launch by the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC). The SMS donation campaign is geared towards gathering funds to support local elite athletes at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. According to Makgalemele, the private sector has a consistent tendency to only assist athletes when they have emerged victorious at various international competitions. He says that the preparation phase is a lot more important than post-competitions results. Makgalemele says that Olympics have restrictions therefore only companies that have contributed in helping building athletes are allowed to celebrate excelling athletes publicly. “Everyone should start now at helping the athletes for the 2020 Olympics, we must all demonstrate commitment towards the team because it is the right thing to do,” urged Makgalemele. The Shoshong legislator, who was the guest speaker at the launch further said that if all Batswana and the private sector could come on board, resource needs would be easily covered. “We know of how our athletes suffer at preparing for events, we are currently focusing on getting some of them to qualify but that will need a lot of resources planted into their preparations. There are more resources needed to cover for accommodation locally when they prepare, there is a lot of resources and funds needed for travelling costs and good nutrition that requires all of us to put our hands together,” he said. “I have no doubt that if all people including the private sector could join hands in this campaign we would prevail. I have seen it happen with the University of Botswana, Batswana joined hands and built the university through the motho le motho kgomo campaign,” Makgalemele stressed. According to BNOC Chief Executive Officer, Tuelo Serufho the target for the campaign is P2.5million. He said that the money would be accounted for through a public audit system.