Botswana: BCF Affliates Call for Another Report
By Portia Ikgopoleng
Gaborone — Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) affiliates have summoned the federation executive committee to resubmit a financial breakdown for the 2015 financial year.
Affiliates expressed their dissatisfaction with the treasurer’s report at the federation’s annual general meeting in Tlokweng on Saturday where they alluded that the report was brief and left out important matters.
They further stated that the financial statement did not incorporate part of the expenditures which accrued from the Botswana National Sports Council annual grant and other sponsorship deals.
BCF president, Tshenolo Maruatona assured the members that the treasurer would redo his accounts to add all the elements that the meeting suggested.
Maruatona indicated that the executive committee would then communicate with club managers upon completion of the financial statements which he said would be sent to affiliates to look at them and call another meeting if need be.
Giving the president’s remarks earlier, Maruatona said the past year was very successful for chess having recorded the highest number of medals from regional and continental competitions in history bagging 12 medals in total.
He highlighted that the achievements were extended in to administration with a total of 17 BCF officials awarded FIDE arbiter norms and titles. The president stated that there was a lot to be done to increase FIDE accredited arbiters in Botswana so that they could build a broader base in officials.
He indicated that chess could grow if independent clubs host tournaments or events like trainings to impart and up skill each other. Maruatona said there was need to build capacity in young players, hence they had been running tournaments for children successfully and the quality keeps growing.
Furthermore, he said they were aiming to see Botswana athletes succeed in African youth tournaments. “We need to reach a level where we are confident that whenever we send athletes to international competitions they will bring medals.”
He stated that any sport that was run without development would be doing things wrongly. Therefore, he commended teachers who unearth and groom young talent in schools.
He expressed his gratitude to the BCF sponsors whom he said had contributed immensely to the growth of sport adding that in future they would also like to see chess receive a P1 million sponsorship.
In response to a question from affiliates on what would happen to school chess now that it would be adopted under Botswana Integrated Sports Association (BISA) he called on schools chess committee to meet with BISA and explore how this new development would unfold.
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Source : BOPA