Botswana Football Association (BFA) President Tariq Babitseng has expressed his disappointment over the omission of football teams and players from the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) Awards nominations.
The nominations for the 44th edition of the awards were announced last Monday at Travel Lodge, with the ceremony set to take place on April 5 at Fairground Holdings.
Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) led the nominations with six entries, followed by Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) with five.
However, no football player or team received a nomination, a decision that left Babitseng questioning the selection criteria used by the adjudication panel.
Speaking to Voice Sport on the sidelines of the nomination event, Babitseng expressed his frustrations, mentioning football’s recent achievements, particularly the national teams’ historic qualifications for major continental tournaments.
“We are here at the nominations function, and unfortunately, none of our athletes or teams has been recognized. As the biggest sporting code in the country and given what we have achieved, both with the men’s and women’s national teams, we expected representation. Our women’s team qualified for the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON), and the men’s team qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). This means Botswana is among the top 24 teams in Africa, which is a significant milestone. It is shocking that we have been completely overlooked,” Babitseng said.
The BFA president also cited individual achievements, including the recent international transfer of Zebras captain Thatayaone Ditlhokwe to a Libyan club, as further evidence that football deserved recognition at the awards.
“I am not just talking about teams; our individual players have made history. Our national team captain moving to Libya is a major achievement. Such milestones should be considered when determining the Athlete of the Year nominees. We need clarity on the selection criteria so that we understand how our athletes are evaluated,” he added.
Babitseng further confirmed that BFA had followed all submission procedures, including obtaining his approval as required, making the snub even more perplexing.
“We followed all the necessary submission criteria. I personally signed off on the nominations, which is why I am shocked that the biggest sporting code in Botswana did not get any recognition. However, I urge our players to stay focused on our own football awards, as these are what sustain us and our families.”
In response to the concerns, BNSC Adjudication Panel Chairperson Dr. Lebone Kasale defended the selection process, affirming its fairness and thoroughness.
“The nominees were assessed using a holistic evaluation tool that considered not only performance but also the level of competition, whether at the national, regional, continental, or global stage. Achievements such as reaching semifinals, finals, or winning medals played a significant role in the scoring process,” he explained.
For coaches, administrators, and officials, their impact on the sport and the level at which they officiated or coached were also key considerations.
