KARATE KID KICKS HIGHER
SENSEI Moses Jones was last week appointment International Olympic Committee (IOC) Ambassador (representing Karate and approved by World Karate Federation) for Prevention of Manipulation of Competition.
Acoording to ijf.org, “Competition manipulation is the act of intentionally altering the course of a match or competition to ensure that a specific event occurs. It can take many different forms, such as an athlete intentionally losing in order to face an easier opponent in the next round of the tournament, or performing a certain action during a match to make a bet successful. Not only the athletes but anyone on the field of play, like a referee or a technical official, can potentially manipulate an event. “Match fixing,” “spot fixing” and “tanking” are related terms, which fall under the wider description of competition manipulation.”
Our reporter, PORTIA MLILO, interviewed 38-year-old Francistown-born Jones, the former two-time Africa Karate Champion, British Open Silver Medallist and three-time Commonwealth Silver Medallist and Karate Coach about his new role.
Q. Congratulations on your recent appointment as IOC Ambassador for Prevention of Manipulation of Competition, what does this mean for you?
A. It brings a lot of excitement and I thank the BNOC for availing the opportunity. This role gives me an opportunity to network with other international former athletes.
Q. What was the criteria used for the appointment?
A. The opportunity came through the BNOC, they approached our Athletes Commission requesting us to play a role in this unit. So I showed interest in the position.
Q. Kindly share what your role entails?
A. Reporting or working with the BNOC Compliance Officer, Seno. We are using an international framework from the IOC. Currently, I’m working as an ambassador representing Botswana through the BNOC and waiting for guidelines for working with the World Karate Federation. The role focuses more on raising awareness on competition manipulation and being able to build networks. It will ensure that athletes are equipped with the right information.