Team Bw dogged by Covid cases

The team from Lesotho games has reported high number of positive cases

Celebartions were cut short after Team Botswana’s exceptional performances at the just ended African Union Sports Council ( AUSC) Region 5 games, where it amassed 64 medals in Maseru- Lesotho, as the team had to contend with yet another opponent, COVID- 19 positive cases.

The local sports governing mother body ( BNSC) earlier this week cancelled the teams’ welcome ceremony which was scheduled for Ditshupo Hall on Monday. “The team has reported a total of 45 COVID- 19 cases, ( 27 team Botswana and eight technical officials who officiated during the games) were reported before the team left Lesotho and 10 cases upon arrival on the 11th December 2021. The first batch of 88 athletes and officials arrived on the 11th December 2021 and were tested for COVID- 19. 10 members tested positive and seven are currently quarantined at Oasis motel. Three athletes were released to be with their parents for isolation after this was cleared by District Health Management Team ( DHMT). Those who tested negative were released,” part of a press statement released by BNSC read. Botswana National Sports Commission had sent in total, a delegation of 239 ( 174 athletes and 64 officials) to the games.

Acting Chief Executive Officer and the Director of Sports Development, Bobby Gaseitsewe said: “It was an unfortunate situation. They have safely arrived in the country and we are working on preparing for their isolation. We had put all measures in place to make sure we adhere to set protocols, we even provided a medical team to guide the team. We will learn from this experience, move on and do better in the future,” Gaseitsewe shared. Ahead of the games, athletes and officials who qualified to get vaccinated were fully jabbed, however, under- age cohort, who formed a large part of the team are yet to be vaccinated. “Only under- age athletes have not been vaccinated but the good part is that none of them has shown any signs yet that they are overwhelmed by the virus and we take comfort in that, they are all in good spirit,” he responded. Team South Africa had swiftly withdrew from the Games as a result of increasing Covid- 19 cases at the games, midway through the competition. Out of the 64 medals won, 24 are gold, 21 silver and 19 bronze medals; a tally which saw them finish behind South Africa who clinched 75 medals before withdrawing from the games.