SMA leads safety in sports
Sport Management Agency ( SMA), are currently engaging the leadership of various sporting organizations and federation to raise awareness and come up with control measures to promote a harmonious environment in sport.
The local private sport agency have embarked on a mission to sensitize the sporting fraternity about safe guarding measures in sport. Their efforts have been given a green light by African Women Development Fund ( AWDF), who are currently supporting the agency to put structures in place and deliver programmes for Botswana Sport. The programme is sponsored by Africa Women Development fund at a tune of $ 100 000 00 According to a statement released by the agency, Safe Guarding in Sport refers to the action taken to promote the well- being of children, youth and vulnerable adults to ensure they are safe from non- accidental harm. The exercise aims to prevent any form of harassment which includes; sexual harassment, abuse, neglect or exploitation. Former Botswana National Sports Commission ( BNSC) employee, Game Mothibi, who is also a social activist has emphasized the need to formulate policies within national sports federation to ensure safety in local sport. “The most important thing is that the programme is here, we haven’t had structures in place in our sport which talks to this issue. We are putting structures in place which will respond to issues of concern to athletes, sexual abuse and other ills in sport. This programme will enable NSAs ( National Sports Associations) to have policies and safe guarding officers. We are also looking to network with other organizations like the Police and Gender Based Violence Centres to adhere to all needs pertaining to safety of athletes,” Mothibi noted. This will be the first initiative of safeguarding in Botswana and SMA have already started work by conducting research on baseline data on the safety of sport in Botswana, self- audit of NSA presidents on what structures they have in place for safeguarding or lack of and also training of safeguarding officers, among others.
“Sport Management Agency aims to compliment the work that has already been done by other organizations in sport. We are trainers of different sport courses, I have studied sport, and we wish to make sure ours sports leaders are trained in the areas that will help them deliver on their mandate and to contribute to the growth of sport,” Mothibi highlighted. “Our courses are mainly targeting women and sport structures, leaders of sport, policy makers and managers in different organizations. We also endeavor to profile sport and show benefits of sport in terms of social, economic benefit through the programmes we run such as sport for social impact or community development through sport projects, which are delivered through our sister organization called Wecho,” she added. The agency will hold a media training on Thursday to continue their efforts to package a well- documented agenda surrounding safety in sports matters.