Funds threaten netball's hosting hopes
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday October 28, 2023 07:33
According to information reaching MmegiSport, the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) wants BONA to submit a budget. “BNSC and BONA held a meeting this week where they were told to work on a budget. They want evidence that BONA has enough funds to run the games.
You must also realise that when it comes to funding, there is no money from Africa Netball. The hosts are expected to cover most of the expenses,” a source said. The official said BONA depends on teams funding to host the games but at the moment, the budget remains a stumbling block. It is for this reason that the BNSC has asked BONA to work on the budget. BONA spokesperson, Mokeresete Mokeresete, said the meeting with BNSC was not only meant to discuss the budget but was a checklist for everything.
“We have the skeletal budget but the BNSC wants to know where we are going to get the funds to host. Hosting is a process that needs time. Normally we should have informed BNSC and government a few years back. But we did not bid for this tournament. We are just assisting,” he said. Botswana was requested to step in when Uganda pulled out of hosting the 13th edition of the Africa Cup. Mokeresete said when they were requested to host, they informed Africa Netball that it was at short notice.
According to the BNSC hosting policy timelines, requests to host a continental event should be made two years in advance. “They even came to Gaborone to meet us, we told them what we could and what we could not do. As things stand, we cannot be given the green light to host if we cannot guarantee where the funds will come from,” Mokeresete said. He revealed that the venue earmarked to host the games, the University of Botswana Indoor Sport Arena costs P350, 000 and they need to specify where the funds will come from to pay. He said by October 31, it would be decided if Botswana would host the Africa Cup or not. Mokeresete said they want to make sure that everything is in place and not embarrass the country.
Meanwhile, the men’s team will also participate in the Africa Netball men’s championships. South Africa (SPAR Proteas) will be looking to defend the title that they won in 2021 when the tournament was held in Namibia. The women's teams that will participate in the Africa Cup are Botswana, Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, while in the men's section Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe will do battle.