27 Apr 2022

The Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) is set to recognise athletes with disabilities whose performance has been outstanding.

BNSC chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho made the announcement during a virtual press conference on Tuesday that the Botswana 41^st  sport awards, to be held at Gaborone’s Ba Isago University Convention Centre on May 7, would include nominees under a new category of Outstanding Female/Male with Disability.

“During the awards launch recently, the category was left out and we have this time added the category to recognise the outstanding performance of athletes with disabilities,” Serufho said.

He explained that when they came up with the idea of a unique awards ceremony for the 2020 and 2021 period, they were aware of the limited sport competitions during those years and with a view not to degrade the quality and competitiveness of the awards, they then consolidated categories.

“For example, we had resolved that all junior female athlete of the year, sportswoman of the year and female athlete with a disability would become one. 

However, with the benefit of hindsight, we have recently resolved to have categories for athletes with disabilities stand out on their own,” he said.

That, Serufho said, was in recognition of the fact that generally, conditions were not as conducive for them as other athletes, as such would be competing from a point of disadvantage.

Revealing the nominees under the new category, Serufho said those would include Edwin Masuge, Theo Nkele and Phemo Karenna from Paralympics Association of Botswana (PASSOBO), to compete for the outstanding male athlete with disability award.

Among the outstanding female athletes with disability are Gloria Majaga, Bokang Mopalo and Amantle Makhura also from PASSOBO.

Hopefully, the introduction of the category will inspire greater awareness for para sport and inspire other people with disabilities to be open to the idea of participating in sport locally and ultimately see them compete at the Paralympics.

Meanwhile, Serufho indicated that a new category of Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO), was also introduced in the last awards, to recognise individuals (men or women) or the organisation for their efforts in supporting participation of women and girls in sport, for which the WASBO chairperson would reveal or announce the award winner at the awards ceremony next month.

“Therefore, having added the two categories for athletes with disabilities and WASBO, to the 11 categories that were previously announced, we now have 14 in total, excluding the minister’s award,” the BNSC chief said. Ends