SENSEI JONES GOES INTERNATIONAL
Q. Why is it important to have an ambassador for manipulation of competition?
A. This is to help promote fair play in sport. To help eliminate crime-related activities in sports by insuring that we bring necessary services to athletes. It can happen in any sport at any time. If you are persuaded, forced or bribed to underperform or to perform a specific action during a match, that is competition manipulation.
Q. Do we have such cases in our country? If yes, kindly share the numbers.
A. This is a new unit, and our country has absorbed it recently under Compliance Officer, Mr Fred Seno. I cannot confirm if we have cases related to competition manipulation or deny it as we are learning more about it.
Q. What plans do you have in place to ensure that you educate athletes about manipulation of competition?
A. We have designed an awareness campaign that will target firstly the Tokyo 2020 games athletes and support team. Thereafter, there will be a workshop that will include all athletes and support structures. As an athlete, you must make yourself aware of what it is, and how to react to suspicions of competition manipulation.
Q. What’s the procedure of reporting when one suspects competition manipulation?
A. The process involves one reporting through availed tollfree lines. Alternatively, they can approach the BNOC Compliance Officer or Ambassador who will provide a guide on steps to take. It will include linking the information with the IOC investigation team, which is made up of the INTERPOL unit. It’s a process that will look at the nature of the case as you might be aware that in major games this might involve gambling activities.
Q. Who inspired you to join karate?
A. The love for martial arts movies I watched as a child inspired me to join the sport. I was also motivated by five-time undefeated Africa Karate Champion, Thabiso Maretlwaneng. I enjoyed watching him compete. I joined karate in 1995 at Selolwe Junior School and also trained at Thebe Karate Club in Francistown.
Q. What have been some of your greatest achievements as an athlete?
A. Winning my first National Junior Zone 6 Karate Gold medal and Senior Africa Karate Championship. Also competing against former World Karate Federation Champion, Rorry Daniels, at Karate Commonwealth competitions where I lost 2-1.
Q. What have been your disappointments or lowlights in your career as an athlete?
A.
My lowlight in sport was
when Botswana National Sport Commission rejected my application for scholarship to study Exercises Science at Middlesex University. I was on the Zebra Elite Scholarship for karate training in the UK. While there, I was admitted at Middlesex but I couldn’t afford the tuition fee.
Q. What do you enjoy most about being a coach?
A. I enjoy coaching Kumite. It gave me an opportunity to mould athletes in terms of discipline and also improving their skills. This was an amazing experience for me. I assisted Sensei George Tshikare in the junior national team when Botswana won two silver medals at the Junior Africa Championship. I am currently running the elite development programme at my gym, Active Moves Gym in Gaborone.
Q. How has the suspension of sport due to the Covid-19 pandemic affected your coaching career?
A. Covid has shattered our dreams, for both coaches and athletes. It affected our training and sport development. Some coaches depend on the money they make from being personal trainers for athletes, now they are struggling since the games stopped.
Q. What advice can you give to those aspiring to coach karate?
A. Don’t skip any level of training to be a coach. Start with assisting or coaching at club level. Learn the process of athletes’ development so that you teach them the right skills.
Q. Who is your inspiration?
A. My God is my inspiration. He guides and challenges me to explore more in life.
Q. Thank God it’s Friday, what are your plans for the weekend?
A. Honestly, as sports people, weekends depress us because we no longer do what we love most. So, I will be studying and learning about the new role.
Ofentse Modikwa - stage name Figos - first burst into the entertainment scene under veteran superstar Vee Mampeezy’s record label, Black Moneymakers (BBM). His star keeps rising.
This week, we shine a spotlight on the performer.
Q. How would you say Covid-19 has affected your life?
A. To be honest, I don’t know how to answer this because I have been in the music industry for more than 20 years and when Covid-19 hit, I was not yet ready. At first, I did not know it would take this long but here we are. Normally, by mid-year, the music industry would be thriving but now it’s been more than a year since life basically came to a stop so we are not coping to be honest.
Q. What kept you busy during the lockdown phases?
A. I used lockdown time to give myself attention. I reconnected with my inner self to see what I should change to improve as a person and as an artist. So I was doing a lot of research and reading a lot of books and blogging on self-improvement.
Q. Are you working on any new music?
A. Actually, yes! I have recorded a lot of music but I am waiting for the right time to release music when covid sort of subsides. Right now, if you release a song, its shelf life is reduced.
Q. If you were president for one day, what is the first you would do?
A. I would actually focus on improving the lives of Batswana. Tackle poverty and spread love and positivity.
Q. What would you say government needs to do to balance between preserving people’s lives as well and catering for the entertainment industry?
A. It is a difficult one, to be honest. It starts with us as the entertainment industry convincing government to take us seriously, because at the moment government just sees us as people who are not serious because the reality is we are in the middle of a pandemic and people continue to lose their lives.
Q. Who is your celebrity crush?
A. I don’t have any celebrity crush. I wouldn’t date a celebrity.
Q. Have you ever been a victim of cyberbullying?
A. Fortunately no!
Q. Do tell about five things people don’t know about you
1. 2.
3. 4. 5.
I grew up in Bontleng People think I am from North East but I come from Lerala I am a gentleman but I am no pushover I am working on building a shelter for homeless children I am not married, but I want to do that soon!