International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president, Sebastian Coe ended his two-day visit to Botswana on Sunday and left feeling generally pleased about the status of sports in the country.
In an interview following a closed meeting he had with Kago Ramokate, Botswana’s Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture Development permanent secretary, Coe stated that the visit was long overdue, but was delighted to have had a chance to visit Botswana and spend time with Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) and other sport stakeholders to discuss the future of athletics in the country.
He acknowledged the challenges facing BAA, saying Botswana has however, performed well in sprints over two decades.
Coe promised to discuss the challenges facing BAA and see where his organization can help.
For his part, Ramokate said he informed Coe of government’s role in sport.
“We informed him that as a ministry, we are the major contributors to both infrastructure and resources, but there are others who play a part in the school sport system and the Botswana National Sport Council as well as Botswana National Olympic Committee,” he said.
Their main challenge, he said, is succession and ensuring that there is no generational gap.
