05 Jun 2023

Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) is yet to look into Botswana All Budo Styles Association’s (BABUSA) affiliation and its intent to become a parent organisation for all martial arts in Botswana.

The association’s president, Thuto Thuto, said this at their ordinary general assembly in Gaborone on Saturday.

“We have engaged the BNSC regarding our affiliation and have long sent our constitution to the sport commission in 2017 to affiliate, but we were then advised to engage other affiliates.

Botswana Karate Association previous leadership rejected us. But recently we contacted BNSC again that is when we told them that we cannot engage the karate association because they are not our members,” Thuto said.

He indicated that BNSC was happy with their presentation and they promised to call all the martial arts associations to chart a way forward.

“We want BABUSA to be the umbrella of martial arts in Botswana, but we are saying BOKA will remain BOKA. We have to have an umbrella that would take care of day to day business,” he said.

On one hand, Thuto decried lack of funds which he said hampered the association’s to execute its day to day running, including plans to send its athletes to international competitions.

BABUSA secretary, Edward Scott said the organisation was founded in 2016 as the answer for more inclusive martial arts body.

Scott said the organisation had since led the country in a variety martial arts systems.

“Since BABUSA’s inception we have also brought together the best of Japanese, Korean and Chinese martial sciences all in one organisation,” Scott added.

Again, he said combined winning from their affiliate members’ organisations in internationally recognised tournaments from countries of origin from various martial arts system under BABUSA’s umbrella were not receiving any help from martial arts organisations.

He however said there was now a new opportunity for their affiliate members at the Olympics, adding that Chinese martial arts, Kung-Fu had now been included as official Olympic sport and would be premiering in the 2026 Youth Olympics to be held in Dakar, Senegal from October 31 to November 13.

“The objective and mission of BABUSA in the country is to bring all these styles and systems from the county of origin and bringing them into a new millennium competitive sport and for that we are proud,” he said.

Further, Scott said BABUSA was currently the only martial arts organisation in Botswana that was poised to take the martial arts to greater heights.

He however decried some challenges they were faced with in the past years which included non-commitment from some of their affiliates’ members.

“We have received two official letters of resignation from Oikado and Asai. But we would welcome them back to the association in the event that they have change of mind,” he said. ENDS