BOBA President Dr Thato Patlakwe with Secretary General Lefiri Moremi at BOBA OGM

BOTSWANA BOXING TO HIRE A FOREIGN COACH

February 9, 2020 editor@sportsnation.co.bw 71 Views 3 min read

BY:Kabelo Seleka

Have you ever been on a smooth and a healthy romantic relationship,out of the blue your better half echoes to you that he or she is open for possibilities of the unknown,well Botswana Boxing Association(BOBA) Secretary General Lefiri Moremi exclaimed that they are looking for a replacement of the incumbent boxing mentor from Cuba.

BOTSWANA BOXING ASSOCIATION ALLOWED TO HIRE A COACH

The association not so long ago was given a go ahead to hire a fulltime coach for the national team by the mother-body Botswana National Sports Commission(BNSC).

Lechezhani “Master” Luza who is at the helm of the team is said to be one of the few qualified locals but not willing to retire on his fulltime job just yet to concentrate on boxing,the boxing authority has inturn opted to scout for a trainer from Cuba.

LOCAL COACHES FEEL UNDERMINED

An on the deep background source told Sportsnation that the association is undermining the locals.The mule narrated that Batswana do not lift each other but rather stamp down on others.The source continued to elaborate that as Batswana coaches they have learned from the coaches from Cuba in the past and there is no need to go back there since its time to implement what they have yearned in those yester years of our boxing glory.

OTHERS WELCOME AN IDEA OF A FOREIGN COACH

Another source known to this publication opined that the move by the BOBA executive committee is a welcomed one since local coaches are full of pettiness,stubborness,favouritism and jealousy on boxers and other officials.

BOBA Secretary General Lefiri has confirmed to Sportsnation that it is indeed true that they are on the lookout for a fulltime coach.Nonetheless Lefiri admitted not have advertised the post,he said locals have fulltime jobs that are not willing to leave and they are in boxing on volunteerary basis.

“We have coaches that can coach but most of them have fulltime jobs,we also made an effort in considering Khumiso Ikgopoleng,since time is not on our side we have opted to urgently scout at Cuba due to our past working cordial relationship,echoed Lefiri.”

Should BOBA hire a local it would be former national team coach Khumiso Ikgopoleng who is qualified and based away from the country engaged on fulltime bases.Luza declined to comment on the issue.

Meanwhile the incumbent Botswana boxing mentor Luza is on a busy schedule with the national team traveling and camping in France,Hungary and Cuba in preparation for the much anticipated African Boxing Olympic qualifications tourney to be hosted at Dakar, Senegal from the 20th to the 29th of February housed in Dakar International Expo Centre, Diamniadio.