Ketho reckons chess is not a sport
Monkagedi Gaothobogwe | Monday August 18, 2014 11:27
“If chess is to be considered as an Olympic sport, then knitting and maths should also follow suit,” said Khetho who in April blasted the Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) for low prize money immediately after he was crowned the national champion for the fifth time.
He said chess is no different from other many mind games like shogi, backgammon and checkers or card games like poker, bridge and old maid or problem solving in maths, general knowledge, not to mention dance sport.
“Should they also be allowed? Weightlifting, track and field, cycling all have a lot in common but what does chess have in common with the above?”
Interestingly Khetho was posting this from Norway where he is currently representing Botswana at the ongoing Chess Olympiad.
After posting such a controversial and seemingly negative comment about his sport, Khetho, a computer programmer got a bucketful of criticism from national team players. Tshepiso Lopang was lost for words while Moakofhi Notha, who won Botswana a medal at the All Africa Games in Nigeria, told Khetho blatantly that he must have been drunk when he posted the controversial message.
Another chess player, Vincent Masole regretted that Khetho’s comments had hurt the reputation of the game at a time chess had been busy fighting for recognition as a sport in Botswana.
“We have all fought too hard to get chess where it is now.
While we fight to get the same recognition as football or athletics, we not going to be compared le bo knitting... please,” he posted.