The overwhelming success of the athletics team at the just ended Olympic Games should nudge sports authorities into fresh thinking.
For long, there has been corridor debate on whether to implement targeted funding in light of athletics' success over the years. The code has towered head and shoulders above the rest in the last 15 years. It is the only code that has produced a world champion in Amantle Montsho (now Victor-Nkape). Similarly, it was the first discipline to deliver the country's first ever medal at the Olympics through Nijel Amos 12 years ago. Three years ago, it was again athletics that produced the country's second medal at the Olympics, a platform that effectively represents the world cup of sports. In Tokyo, the 4x400m team brought home a bronze medal. It was through athletics that Botswana gave the world a junior 100m world record holder, thanks to the golden child, Letsile Tebogo's 9.91 run at the World Junior Championships in Colombia.
It was through Tebogo's bewildering exploits last week Thursday that Botswana recorded it's first ever gold at the Olympics. Continental records have tumbled thanks to athletics and largely, Tebogo. The country's fourth medal, a silver, came via the feet of the 4x400m team. Effectively it has all been athletics, a code that has been ever present since Botswana's first partipation at the Olympic Games 44years ago. Even this year, athletics would have been the only code representing Botswana in Paris had it not been for the wild cards handed to swimming. With such a glittering record, is it not, therefore fitting that there is deliberate and strategic planning to empower athletics? Is it not time to protect the goose that lays the golden egg? Is it fair for athletics to be scrambling for crumbs at the government grants table when they are, by far the best performing code? What should they do or achieve to finally open the eyes of those that oppose targeted funding? If the time is not now, then when is it? Targeted funding does not mean the complete neglect of other codes. They will still exist side by side with this excelling student.
But the difference will be the preferential treatment being due reward and recognition of what athletics means to the blue, black and white nation. Even in economic planning, regions are treated differently looking at their unique advantages or even disadvantages. The Selebi-Phikwe region is treated as a special zone and potential investors are offered incentives as a pull factor. Equally, athletics should be treated as a special zone in the local landscape and this should reflect in the budget allocation and overall treatment of the code. Of course, there is the Botswana National Sport Commission's tier system but it still groups athletics with other codes in Tier One, which does not represent the existing gulf in class. Let there be change!
