Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) is grappling with shortage of female boxers; something which makes it difficult to have a pool of female boxers representing the country at the international stage.

BoBA president, Dr Thato Patlakwe, revealed at the association’s Annual General Assembly on June 30, that he was worried about the low numbers of female boxers.

He said affiliates failed to bring female boxers to the tournaments, adding that it was clear that most of the clubs did not recruit female boxers.

Dr Patlakwe said it was vital that all men in boxing should create an environment that would allow female recruitment. Further, he said, a girl child should be seen as equally capable as a boy child by giving them equal opportunities.

“Last month, to be precise on May 17-20, Botswana hosted the IWG conference in Gaborone, as clubs we should put more effort. Let’s create an equal participation platform,” he said.

On other issues, Dr Patlakwe said Africa Youth Games and African Union Sports Council Region 5 Games preparations were on going, and a pool of 13 boys and six girls had been identified for the games and the selection process was also ongoing.

The boxers, he said continued to participate in elite competitions as part of the preparations and their performance was showing an improvement.

“They have already taken part in at least four interclub boxing tournaments. The team of seven boys and two girls also competed in an international friendly match in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in May 2018, where they did well,” he said.

On elite scholarship programme, Dr Patlakwe said Treasure Moremi of DTCB had been considered for the elite programme. He said his name would be submitted to the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development for further consideration and submission to the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology for sponsorship.

Eevn though there was no fulltime coach at Mogoditshane Centre of School Excellence, he said he was happy that the centre was performing well through the assistance of sport development officer who had volunteered to help.

Boxers, he said were also participating in local tournaments to improve their boxing skills.

Dr Patlakwe added that some of the boxers were part of the team that would represent the country at the Africa Youth Games in Algiers, Algeria.