19 Sep 2022

 Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA) president, Kudzanani Motswagole, says sport is a short career, therefore it is imperative for athletes to be empowered academically to avoid gaps in their lives.

Speaking at the Indian Technical Economic Cooperation (ITEC) day recently, Motswagole said if not empowered  academically, athletes would have nothing to fall back on once they retire from sport.

The president said he was happy that, through Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) programmes, table tennis players were empowered.

He said they aspired to contribute to Botswana’s medal basket in competitions, adding such could be achieved by having competitive athletes.

“With ICCR interventions I don’t doubt to say that we are heading in the right direction, as we all know our country has financial constraints,” he said

Motswagole said, like other sporting codes, table tennis  was affected by the insufficient subvention they get from Botswana National Sport Commission.

Therefore, strategic partners such as the Indian High Commission came handy.

He said nine table tennis players were studying in different field in India, adding that he was confident that they would do well

“This initiative helps us a lot. Imagine training these athletes at our own costs, honestly we were not going to manage, and in that regard I would like to thank the Indian High Commissioner,” he said.

In other issues, he said sport and health were intertwined, adding he had observed that since the COVID-19 pandemic a lot of people were not engaging in sport.

“But without external situation here at home, where by some people knock off late, and when they try to do physical activities some get attacked by criminals, so it is a catch 22 situation” he said.

Furthermore, he said all was not lost because codes such as table tennis could help people to remain fit, adding table tennis had elite and recreation categories.

Motswagole therefore encouraged parents to also consider taking their children to table tennis, given that there was a future locally and abroad in the code.BOPA