26 Jul 2023

Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) has no intension of rewarding Letsile Tebogo despite shattering the Africa record that stood for 27 years.
Last Sunday, at the Diamond League London Meet, Tebogo broke the 200m Africa record that was set by Frankie Fredericks of Namibia at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics final. Tebogo’s time of 19.50 eclipsed Fredericks’ longstanding 19.68, and he is currently ranked sixth all time.
BNSC chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho has disclosed that Tebogo will not be rewarded given that the current policy only covers records from multi-sport competitions such as the Olympic Games, African Games.

Single sport competitions that are covered under the policy include; the African Championships and World Championships in athletics.
“Sadly as a result of that, Letsile will not be eligible,” he regretted.
Serufho said the policy, like any other, was subject to review and they explore if it could be reviewed to accommodate such instances as Tebogo’s, especially that records from competitions like the Diamond League were recognised by relevant World Governing bodies.
Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) vice president, Oabona Theetso expressed fear that the policy could demoralise athletes.
He said the Diamond League was sanctioned by World Athletics and it was also used as a qualifier.
“As Botswana, can we say we are not sending Letsile to the Olympics because he qualified at the Diamond League? I doubt,” he said.
“I think he should be rewarded, and again it is not like these athletes break records at every meet,” he said, adding that the British sprinter Zharnel Hughes, who finished behind Tebogo and broke the national record, was rewarded handsomely by his country. Ends