Mother of injured karateka fights for justice
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday June 24, 2023 06:00
The team left for Harare on June 8. Moremedi's mother, Gaolatlhe Samson is, however, not happy with the way her daughter has been treated. Samson told Mmegi Sport that her child suffered an injury during the Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) national team selection held in Gaborone in April. “My child was injured by her opponent during the selection tournament after being instructed by her coach to use a dangerous kick. I had to spend money taking my child to hospital and she missed classes. I wrote a letter to BOKA in April seeking an investigation into this matter. Appropriate action should be taken,” she said. Samson explained that she was informed that her daughter had been dropped from the team at night through a telephone call. She said the reason given was that her daughter was unfit to compete. “I have a letter from a physiotherapist dated June 6, which states that my child was fit to compete.
BOKA has never done anything for my child; they should compensate her for her medical expenses. If they knew that she was unfit, why did they allow Maatla to train with the team?” she asked. Samson said BOKA has not shared all the information with her regarding scans they claim were done. She said BOKA has failed to respond to her letter despite repeated attempts. Contacted for comment, BOKA public relations officer, Keorapetse Dube said BOKA does not communicate with individuals rather they only respond to letters that are routed through their members.
Dube said Samson should have submitted her concern to the club where her daughter trains. “This is a sensitive issue because it involves an athlete. My advice to Samson is for her to allow the club to write a letter to BOKA. However, the athlete is under the care of a Botswana National Sport Commission (BNOC) physiotherapist. She was presumed unfit for competition,” Dube said. He said the parent did not know the tournament rules or even the instructions that coaches are allowed to say to their athletes. He said Samson should have allowed her daughter’s coach and club to take care of the issue. According to a letter from BNSC physiotherapist, Sithabile Machao, dated June 7, Moremedi was assessed on April 24 and diagnosed as having sustained a medial knee contusion injury. “Moremedi was put on rest from activity while attending physiotherapy at the BNSC. She did well in attending, resting and following instructions. However, it has come to my attention that Moremedi is training with the national karate team without obtaining medical clearance from the BNSC. She was due for re-assessment at the BNSC but she did not come,” the letter reads in part. Through the letter, Machao said Moremedi has disregarded medical advice and instructions and is at risk of aggravating the injury. “Please advise us on the action BOKA is going to take as regards Moremedi's medical care as she has removed herself from the care of the BNSC,” the letter reads.
However, it has emerged that there was a clash of schedules between Moremedi and the BNSC appointment. “Machao last attended my daughter in May. We were surprised to learn that she wrote a letter stating that my child is unfit. Machao sent a text to my daughter on June 6 saying that she was back in the office, she should come for an appointment the following day. On that day (June 7), my daughter had a physiotherapy appointment. So it was impossible to attend both appointments at the same time,” Samson said. She said this seems like an arranged plan hence her daughter was called for assessment before the team’s departure. “They just wanted to rule her out, not to assess her. If they wanted to assess her, they should have requested her to bring reports from the physiotherapist who has been attending to her and a medical card. It is impossible to conduct a review without her medical documents,” she said. Samson said the BNSC physiotherapist only attended Moremedi once and when she failed to assist, she referred her to another physiotherapist. “The physiotherapist, where my daughter was transferred, also failed to assist that is when we had to find another physiotherapist. My daughter was cleared fit to compete and that is the specialist who should have assessed her not the BNSC physiotherapist,” Samson said.