Lopang's sport leadership role grows bigger
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday December 5, 2023 10:30
Lopang was ushered into the board during an electoral congress that took place in Cairo, Egypt. She will serve on the board until 2028. The congress gathered 65 in good standing African sports confederations’ presidents. Lopang, who is also an international arbiter and the first woman to be elected current president of the African Chess Confederation (ACC) told Sport Monitor that the Association of African Sports Confederation contacted International Chess Federation (FIDE) president, Arkady Dvorkovich requesting him to nominate someone who to run for a position in their board. “Dvorkovich nominated me to run for an executive board member position. My name was submitted along with a representative from Africa Badminton Association, Moneoang Jeanette Leshota from Leshota from Lesotho.
She is a former Lesotho Badminton Association president. The two of us contested to be board members unopposed. It is an exciting moment for us, it means that as chess we now have in AASC board,” Lopang said. Lopang and Leshota were elected to occupy the two positions reserved for women representatives in the executive board. She also said being in the board, Botswana will also benefit especially with introduction of new sporting codes. Lopang said there are international federations that are ready to set up in the country such as Africa Life Saving Federation and Mixed Arts Federation. She said conversation with the key stakeholders of those federations has started and the support is there, all that is needed is for people with interest to get involved.
Lopang added that Botswana also has another representative in the board being Estony Hattingh from Botswana Judo Federation (BJF). One of the resolutions presented by the AASC board and the member confederations was to extend the board term until 2028 instead of 2027. The congress emphasized that all AASC members must stand united and present a cohesive front in all games and tournaments. Other committee members: Major General Ahmed Nasser (president), Tahar Mesbahi (first vice president), Dr Peninah Kabenge (second vice president) and Khalid Mehalhel (third vice president). Additional members: Fouad Meskout, Dr Lucky Mlilo, Tarek Cherif and Ide Issaka.