Sport Management Agency (SMA) last week inducted 20 young local female athletes from different sports associations in a leadership program.
In an interview with Voice Sport on the sidelines of the event at Botho University, SMA Director Tsoseletso Magang gave a brief overview of the program.
“SMA started early last year with a concern that when majority of us in the sports fraternity call it quits, we immediately jump into leadership positions even though we are not fully equipped with regards to the particular positions, hence the birth of our agency.
Furthermore, there are also issues of safeguarding in sport which we have also incorporated in our course as we feel they are important. Our role as sports leaders is to ensure that the environment for our athletes is conducive because there are a lot of bad incidents that usually occur when athletes are not well cared for,” she said.
Turning focus to the leadership program conducted over the weekend, Magang said they have asked different local sports associations to select two young female athletes to benefit from this two day leadership program that they have staged.
“We have partnered with local sports associations to present their young female players to come and benefit from this program, women are constantly being oppressed worldwide hence programs like this one could prove vital in reducing this type of abuse.
As former athletes, we know how how women are abused during international sporting events, and this type of program could give them confidence to go all the way and become legends in sports, and we are hoping for more people to come on board and push this initiative forward,” said Magang.
On the other hand, Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) Board Member Yarona Sharp gave a word of encouragement to the athletes who attended the course. “This program comes at an opportune time when sports is threatened by the Covid-19 scourge, which includes championing gender equality in sports.
As women in sport, we should know that we should not be taken for granted as we are faced with higher hurdles than our male counterparts. This program will provide training, guidance in leadership for now and the future as we aspire to take leadership positions one day,” she said.
