PERSPECTIVE_MAGAZINE_DEC_JAN_2024

DEC 2023/JAN 2024

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Orange FA Cup relaunch THE NEED FOR SPORTS UNIONS

Lucara comes to netball rescue YOUR FREE COPY

BSB HOSTS

WORLD SAVINGS DAY CUP

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LINE UP -BSB HOSTS WORLD SAVINGS DAY TOURNEY -LUCARA GIVES BACK TO SPORTS ORANGE BW LAUNCHES FA CUP 2024 -YOUNG COACHES -THE NEED FOR SPORTS UNIONS ROSS BRANCH EXCLUSIVE.

STANBIC BANK GABORONE GOLF CLUB

It’s the family estate of golf enthusiasts. It up with Club house manager Mr Keagakwa Kerileng treasures its revered champions. It displays for insights of the club. the trophies of more than a decade of national tournaments. It whispers its PM. Tell us about the origin of the club, when was landmark status. And it looks the part. it established and by who?

KK. It was established before independence in It’s Stanbic Bank Gaborone Golf Club, on the September 1966, golf in Gaborone was played on leafy main line sprawling between National a nine-hole course with eighteen tees that ran Stadium and Avani Hotel. In the heart of around and across the airstrip. The golf section of the capital city Gaborone, Its cream white the Gaborone Sports Club in the village controlled clubhouse, is simple but splendid and boasts the golf course. For security reasons the club of 18 holes Including Women’s competitions was requested to move and with the help of the and tournaments , on its original course it BotswanaNat ional Sports Council it was granted has hosted the most BGU Independence a lease by the Gaborone Town Council for the Trophy for 44 years, Botswana Open over 20 land the Club now occupies. Jimmy Russell, a times and Sunshine Tour FNB events many government roads engineer, did the original layout times in the past. By the way it hosted one of the course. Gordon Hampton, the then Director of prominent Jazz maestro in Jonathan Butler of Agriculture, decided that the clearing of the early this year. fairways would be the ideal training ground for bulldozer drivers under the supervision of thelate SBGGC is charmingly different and has Syd Youthed. Initially the greens were oiled sand sprawling clumps of devious dune grass that required smoothing down with a scraper around and amid its deep bunkers. We caught before putting and the tees were built of concrete 2

blocks with rubber mating supplied by the Prison’s PM: How did you the club recover?

Department KK: Mainly membership base, the club PM: How is it different now from 20 years back? showed resilience by the ability to operate KK: The club has evolved over the years and boasts under the difficult covid 19 conditions, our of making the following achievements, Golf course sponsorship plays a big role. A strategic improvement over the years especially the green collaboration with Stanbic Bank as title area, we have hosted International tournaments sponsor of the Gaborone Golf Club (GGC) on and contribution to golf development through a 3-year agreement.

Professional instructors and players PM: How do you promote the club to PM: What are the best memories of the club, who attract more visitors and members? has been the most important golfers KK: We are vigilant with events like and tournaments you hosted? tournaments, golf day, social golf and club KK: It has to be Jonathan Butler who celebrated competitions. We have a very good our pristine course when he visited our club in April communication for more reach through 2023. We have also hosted, Sunshine Tour (a men’s social media, member communication and professional golf tour based in Southern Africa), BGU promotional posters. We also offer flexible Independence Trophy for 44 years, Zone 6 membership options include full members, internationals three times, Botswana Open over 20 senior, students and even non golfing times and, Sunshine Tour FNB events many times members. in the past and for the last 12 Botswana Nomads National Tournaments.

PM: Are there any special features of the golf course that stand out?

PM: Any setbacks that happened to the club Location, we are easily accessible from any KK: Oh yes, fire incident in March 2015, the Gaborone part of the city and you have access to an Golf Club facilities, the thatched outstanding 18-hole members’ course with bar, restaurant and pro shop were gutted by fire excellent off-course facilities like club’s also the COVID 19 pandemic, due to the pandemic, practice facilities and access to the teaching we had to cut down manpower, put maintenance of professionals key areas on hold, and even scale back or suspend activities due lack of finance and resources.

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The Thrilling Orange FA Cup Returns in full swing!

PRESS RELEASE

-Orange Botswana continues to nurture football in Botswana.

-Orange Botswana strengthens partnership with Botswana Football Association (BFA) accelerating the sport’s expansion throughout Botswana.

Orange Botswana proudly announces the arrival of the highly anticipated 5th season of the Orange FA Cup in collaboration with the Botswana Football Association (BFA).

Reflecting on the journey of the past four seasons, the Orange FA Cup has been a compelling platform for success stories and valuable learnings. This partnership has served as a catalyst, fostering talent development, empowering aspiring athletes, and fortifying 4 PERSPECTIVE

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the foundation of football in Botswana.

Said Orange Money Director of Commercial and Operations, Mr. Gazza Motswagole “As we all know, football holds a unique power to bring people together, irrespective of age, race, gender, or culture. In Botswana, football is a way of life, and it bears opportunity for growth – growth of talent, growth of revenue once truly commercialized, and growth of culture, in many ways. There is a need to nurture and empower those whose dreams are tied to such a sport, for we have such incredible talent and potential in our local football scene.”

The return of the Orange FA Cup brings together 48 teams competing for the title of the Orange FA Cup champion, promising an exciting season ahead. The tournament will commence in January 2024 and fixtures are as follows:

MAIN PICTURE: BFA Competitions Chairman, Mr. Vincent Mafuta revealing team names and fixtures, with Orange Money Director of Commercial & Operations, Mr. Gazza Motswagole during Orange FA Cup

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EDITOR’S BUBBLE

PRINT MEDIA Of course, with the adoption of tablet devices on the rise, this figure could well be out of date already – particularly given the rapid improvement in the quality of digital publications, and the demand for them to do more than merely replicate the content of print titles online.

But, regardless of some high-profile print closures in recent years, the stories of doom and gloom in the publishing industry have been tempered by a mini-renaissance in independenttitles.

The old-fashioned paper and ink has an unlikely saviour!

“Ironically, I attribute it to the internet” states Jeremy Leslie, the man behind magculture.com, a site any self-respecting magazine junkie should bookmark.

MPHO MOOKA PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE

Is print media underrated or big brands doubt our capabilities to advertise with us?

Despite what you may have heard, reports of the “death of print”; have been greatly exaggerated.A recent survey found out that 88% of magazine readers still prefer to consume articles via print.

While half of respondents to the state-of-the-media survey, aged 14 to 75 owned a smartphone, most of them subscribed to at least one printed magazine .

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Leslie continues: “A lot of people have discovered their opinions and voices writing blogs and sharing in social networks. “A natural next step is to create something permanent … I think the mainstream publishers have let down the industry and individuals are trying to create better publications. “But it’s not just amateurs who are responsible. Some of the internet’s big players fashion sites-such as style.com, asos.com and netaporter.com, online kid’s game Moshi Monsters and yes, even Google itself – are now publishing print magazines, using traditional media to refresh the parts of their business model that other solutions can’t reach.

“For online brands, print is a neat way of gaining extra marketing attention and boosting their community, even if there’s no money in it.”

“I like the South African magazine models, the print publications that started the empire. They still exist to anchor the brands and define the voices. “But the money comes from the TV channels, the brand partnerships, the events and theirrelevant stakeholders.

You might be able to look at a digital game or magazine on an iPad, but you can’t cut things out, colour-in, take pen to paper or stick it on your wall.

“This idea of the permanence of print, particularly among younger generations supposedly reared in the digital age, is something dear to them.nWhen we watch students with books, there’s a very different experience, there‘s that power of having something physical that they own, particularly when they write and see their name in print; it’s always there. With computers, it’s all gone at the touch of a button.

For all the wily charms of the digital world with its tweets, feeds, blogs 6

and apps, there is nothing like the pleasure created by ink and paper, While admitting that “live-blogging and the pounding waves of the twenty four hour news cycle have their appeal, our monthly magazine instead takes a leisurely and contrary look backwards over the previous three weeks before publication.

We have no interest in creating throwaway media, We want to make something which is treasured, which ends its days making the bookshelf, coffee table or toilet, just that little bit prettier and more civilised. Our readers are often writing blogs anyway because the beauty of online is that it allows them to instantaneously share with a larger audience.But the relationship with books is different. Kids take books home and they can keep them. Some students come from underprivileged backgrounds, and often, these children only have religious books at home. It’s often counterproductive to create divisions and make comparisons between the worlds of online and print.

It’s our admittedly unorthodox opinion that the two can co-exist, and in fact should co-exist, But they need to do things differently to survive. The magazine, and indeed any physical book, needs to set itself apart from the web. Physical forms of the written word need to offer a clear and different experience. And if they do, we believe, they will survive.

Print does certain things very well. There’s a sense of reward and the luxury of devoting time to the printed page that you can’t put a price on.

But at the same time, there’s an immediacy and ‘‘shareability’’; to the online world that’s just as valuable in its own unique way.

However, we found out that the print magazine is so much more efficient in terms of budget and recognition than doing a streaming media website, which we aspired to back then. So the magazine got a life of its own and grew into a big glossy mag celebrating printers qualities.

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Ironically, the website now serves primarily as an archive for the magazine. Says Leslie, “magazines are simply very effective ways of engaging with people. To the greatest extent, it just seems like common sense to us that any company would want to communicate with people. “More than that, it’s proof that creativity and ideas will always find new ways to inspire younger generations.”

Computers and video games haven’t killed physical toys and games, so there’s no reason why the digital world should kill print.

Lack of innovation or providing a poor product is far more likely to do that. The amazing range of technological opportunities that can be used to support and interact with print are definitely a bonus, not a threat.”

Anyone that’s on my table has had to defend me at some point in their life. Ask any boxer, ‘In the third round, when he hit you from the side on your ear, how did that specifically feel?”; You wouldn’t dare ask a boxer that. Because you know they’re there to fight. Meaning now you know I’m here to fight. I’m here to fight for the reeducation of what celebrity is.

To say, “Yes, we are celebrities, but yes, we’re also innovators, we’re also inventors, we’re also thoughtful”; Brand journalism does not mean marketing without a strategy. Every brand needs to have a strategy that includes a clearly defined brand framework, delineating the brand boundaries within which the brand is free to be creative. The brand framework ensures that the brand’s promise remains consistent. We call our approach "freedom within a framework.”

The brand framework is the editorial policy that defines the distinctive character of the brand, as well as the boundaries within which the brand stories are created.

Mpho Mooka (To be continued in our next issue)

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LOCALLY BREWED FORMER PLAYERS TAKE TO COACHING Locally brewed former players take to coachingHigh flying young coaches show their mettle. Their names and images have graced the pages of leading publications and television screens. They did what they had to do to the satisfaction of their fans and other sports enthusiasts.

General consensus is that our own stars of the past are being given a chance to coach at the top level has been noticed by management and hence they have done their part. These posts are not for the fainthearted and it is up to them to prove they are capable of leading national teams and they must know that these days pressure comes from all corners of the game, be it supporters, management, investors and even players themselves and there is no more give us time we are still rebuilding. Big countries that we envy and adore in sports do not have time either, so what is so special about us which has never been there?

Probably the best sport in the country, softball has been rebuilding forever when they have participated in numerous world cups.

Some of them hold national records in their respective fields. And now, the late Keitumetse “Pio” Paul, Pontsho Moloi, Seipei Gaelisiwe, Lechedzani “Master” Luza, Mpho Bakwadi, Bobby Khupe, thuso Khubamang, Glody Dube and many more have been on the touchlines and ring corners in recent competitions and this brought back countless memories of their time as active players.

Former international athletic superstar Glody Dube who also used to serve within the athletics body says it depends, arguing that it does not necessarily mean that if you are a good athlete or sportsman automatically you are destined to be a good coach.

They are very passionate, shouting instructions, pacing up and down touchlines, no more as the days they were their teams’ winners when unlocking their opponents’ defences and eventually emerging triumphant. These were all top quality in their day on the field of play and are now forging their careers as top coaches.

Indeed, there is an increasing number of former local athletes and international stars who have been given opportunities to work as head coaches. Definitely, club owners and national bodies must be lauded for a job well done. This simply means the number of ineffective imports from outside the country that used to dominate the country’s coaching structures is increasingly limited these days.

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He says this comes from his personal experience where as president of Botswana Athletics Association (BAA), there is a lot happening behind the scenes, adding that from outside it looks easy. “There is pressure of working with too many people and they all need answers,” says Dube.

This simply means the number of ineffective imports from outside the country that used to dominate the country’s coaching structures is increasingly limited these days. It seems general consensus that our own playing stars of the past be given a chance to coach 8

at the top level has been noticed by management and hence they (management) have been roused into action.

These are not posts for the faint-hearted and it is up to them to prove they are capable of leading national teams and they must know that these days pressure comes from all corners of the game, be it supporters, management, investors and even players themselves and there is no more, “give us time we are still in a rebuilding process.”

The owner of a golf academy, who is also a professional golf player Mpho Kelosiwang says this is a sensitive issue because it can mislead. “Yes, they (sports clubs and national teams) need experience and skills of former players, but management is a completely different level.

“People should be careful when it comes to ministration because it’s a totally different ballgame. Remember now we are talking building sports as an industry where lots of things areinvolved.

Young coaches need to use these opportunities, not only for themselves but for many with the same profile like them and have similar ambitions if not more determined, they have quality to work with and if they are to help prove that former star players can go on and become good coaches, they only have limited time to us so. Our young coaches will find themselves judged harshly in the beginning because there is always doubters no matter what and it always happens and if they perform miracles, they will strike an important blow for other young coaches in an increasingly market and we will be willing on them.

The question is, are they taking us somewhere in terms of progress?

“We are even talking about taking care of the grassroots, players, supporters and working with other stakeholders, hence sacrificing your time,” Kelosiwang argues.. Big countries that we even adore in sports do not have time either, so what is so special about us which has never been there, probably the best sport in the country, softball has been rebuilding forever when they have participated in world cups.

Boxing and karate still have a point to prove to the nation as most stars have come from them and they never really convinced enough. We have them young coaches but do they have enough experience to play at international standards level?

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WORLD SAVINGS DAY TOURNAMENT WITH BSB BSB BROADENS IT’S WORLD SAVINGS DAY ACTIVITIES Botswana Savings Bank joined other savings banks around the world to commemorate The World Savings Day in October 2023.

This year, as in the past, BSB launched an awareness raising campaign, much in harmony with similar actions conducted by saving banks across the world. According to the BSB Head of Marketing & Public Relations – Bomolemo Selaledi, “This kind of awareness raising campaigns and the subsequent increase in savings are especially meaningful to build “resilient” generations, which is something that we all need regardless of where we live in this world. We believe that individual savings makes the society advance, as it is a collective movement.”

BSB branches across the country, individually and collectively have started participating in various activities in communities in which the Bank operates, geared towards creating awareness on the Banks products and inculcating the culture of savings. Encouraging our customers to plan their finances will not only give them freedom and security, two things that are vital for them, but also it will help build a strong society aware of the importance of savings.

Setting a new benchmark for celebrating this yearly global event and highlighting the value of savings, BSB celebrated World Savings Day on October 29, 2023, with a ground-breaking football tournament. The BSB World Cup aimed to raise awareness about World Savings Day, cultivate a strong saving habit, foster stronger relationships with strategic partners and develop sports strong bridge the gap in personal savings while promoting public attendance and engaging the community in discussions about financial responsibility.

Six strong teams competed in the soccer event, where the SOPRANO’s emerged victorious, taking home the coveted cup.

FROM LEFT: POSITION 4 RECIEVING T SPECTATOTS, ACTION PICT RIGHT: BSB HEAD OF MARKETING AND PR M AWARD TO MAN OF THE M

BSB’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nixon Marumoloa, expressed his enthusiasm: “Our first-ever soccer tournament showcased the spirit of competition and reinforced the importance of savings and financial responsibility in our community. This event embodies our commitment to financial literacy and inclusion.”

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MAIN PIC: (ABOVE) SOPRANOS SOCIAL CLUB CELEBR RIGHT:RAMETSANA CLUB WITH P15000 PRIZE CHILDREN FUN DAY SPECTATORS ENJOYING THE FINAL

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tadvancing financial literacy and cultivating a responsible financial management culture in the community. We remain dedicated to giving people the tools they need to create a safe and productive financial future.

Leveraging on the 2023 Worlds Savings Day theme, “ConquerYourWorld” through savings, the different branch activities will continue various community activities throughout to the end of year. The activities are mostly centred around increasing public awareness on the importance of savings and educating customers on the different BSB savings products, in a bid to help encourage existing and potential clients to save.

THEIR CHECQUE, TURES MRS SELABEDI HANDS MATCH

RATING P20 000 WIN WITH BSB CEO MR MARUMOLOA,

www.bsb.bw 11

The central message “Conquer your Tomorrow” through savings, aligns itself with: #Save4Sustainability; #Save4Health; #Save4Education; #Save4entrepreneurship The aim is to positively impact the public at both regional & at an international level by associating “savings” with several Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations such as education, health and entrepreneurship.

According to the Bank’s Head of Marketing and Public Relations, Bomolemo Selaledi this year’s theme, resonates well with BSB’s core mandate.

“Financial Inclusion and the provision of affordable banking solutions remains a priority area and is consistent with the Botswana Savings Banks core mandate of inculcating a culture of “sustainable” savings amongst Batswana.” said Selaledi.

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LUCARA BOTSWANA INJECTS FUNDS TO ROSS BRANCH AND BOTSWANA NETBALL ASSOCIATION Speaking at the launch, Lucara Botswana CEO, Nasem Banu Lahri said she is delighted as Lucara Botswana continues its mandate as an industry gamechanger to partner with and support meaningfulcaus es in Botswana.

UNSDG 17 Speaks of Partnerships for the Goals, which underscores the importance of entities coming together to ensure sustainable development. This is one of the SDG’s that Lucara Botswana subscribes to and has also brought everyone on board.

No man is an island and that is why they continuously strive to partner with the Government of Botswana and other stakeholders such as sporting codes to work towards a better Botswana.

“We celebrate the great strides and achievements the Botswana Netball Association as well as Ross Branch have made over this past year raising the 12 PERSPECTIVE

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Botswana Flag high and paving the way for sports enthusiasts coming after. Thank you for choosing courage over comfort. Your accomplishments bear testament that 1 Botswana has talent 2. It is possible to earn a living through sport in Botswana. In this life, not everyone will secure an office job and not everyone is destined to excel in the corporate world, I’ll go even further and say it is not everyone who dreams of having 9-5 and that is why representation in the sports field is of paramount importance. Once someone sees it’s possible, because it has been done before it gives a newfound courage to pursue the road less travelled”, she added.

Lahri says furthermore, they are currently in the final stages of constructing a Sports Complex in Letlhakane, that will be commissioned in due course. This is a place they believe that many dreams will be realised and careers unlocked in the sporting fraternity. To date, they have already invested BWP 89 179 209.00 (Eighty-nine million one hundred and seventy-nine thousand two hundred and nine Pula) in this initiative and the expected spend for the complex at the end of 2023 is 113 601 908 (one hundred and thirteen million six hundred and one thousand nine hundred and eight Pula) Over and above sports development our most celebrated initiative is what has been termed “the green diamond” in Mokubilo village and this is a horticultural and egg production farm that came about as a solution to malnutrition in the village. Today the Mokubilo Integrated Farm has created employment for 7 residents of the village and supplies eggs and vegetables to Mokubilo and Mmea Primary Schools as well as the Mokubilo RADS Hostel and excess produce is sold in Mokubilo, Letlhakane as well Francistown. Earlier this year we also handed over a similar project to the residents of Kolonkwaneng in Kgalagadi South, she continued.

Some people are destined to be the Simone Biles and the Michael Jordans of tomorrow and it is through our support as corporate entities that talent in Botswana talent will continue to soar to greater heights. She says Lucara Botswana has a diverse and impactful Corporate Social Responsibility initiative and the pillars are founded on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. At Lucara Botswana, they found these goals to be instrumental as they are allowed to engineer lasting legacies at various touchpoints in Botswana. Lucara Botswana has committed to 10 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and these have been instrumental over the years with providing direction for initiatives that we take part in.

“We are elated to hand over P300 000.00 to both Ross Branch and The Botswana Netball Association this morning and we believe that this contribution will ease the strains and burdens that they might be faced with. Bo rra le bo mma, we see how you constantly fight for the development of sport in Botswana. The road to where we want to be might be long however, let us not grow weary in pushing towards it” concluded Lahri.

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SPORTS UNIONS The events happening in the country’s sports makes one wonder if the sportspersons themselves are too scared or threatened to protect their livelihood and their professions.

Nigel Amos’s suspension is hanging over her head like the Swords of Damocles. Football players have been blocked by teams to go outside the country. We have had top boxers in Lesley Sekotswe, the Setlalekgosi brothers, Thuso Khubamang and many more who were left in limbo. In football we have retired players who plied their trade outside in professional leagues.

There have been tennis players who were actually on BNSC scholarships. These are sportspersons who can definitely initiate a movement for the formation of sports unions.

In most cases, labour unions are born out of unfair working conditions and inadequate wages for employees. Given today’s glitzy, millionaire athletes, it’;s often forgotten that the pioneers of our favorite sports leagues were victims of harsh bosses, tough expectations and unbalanced wages.

Non-unionized athletes were treated as pieces of furniture to be moved at the owner’s whim as they had no rights to pensions, healthcare benefits or even lunch money for road games. Today’s pro athletes enjoy all these perks, while conducting salaries that eliminate the need for any of them. In the case of the following leagues, it took the resolution of a few brave players to stand up to the owners and demand a fair share of the revenues that their top-talent provided. These are athletes who played without pensions or healthcare plans. It was also common for pre-union players to work permanent jobs to support their families because if you get an injury or a player miss game, it was very PERSPECTIVE

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rare to be taken care of and get paid during the time of absence, untenably brought about by an injury incurred while on the field of play.

Without healthcare plan and no income, families of athletes struggle mightily to pay the bills. Commonly after the injury, a player will not be as effective as he was before, to which the management cries “indifferent play”; and cut the salary.

Such treatment should inspire all the legends to rally today’s players to form a union while they are still active. Other influential ex-players

Technically, there isn’t actually a union for players at the moment, as on the surface, it is millionaires fighting poor sportsmen over a share of thousands in revenue.

across the leagues should be successful in creating a small association of players so that the players can be able to unite in enough numbers to convince the owners to recognize their demands and not punish players for being members.

With players taking action, the fans will be more aware than ever of the labour conflicts that can spoil a sport. Before these players’ union, players were in most cases not paid for missing a game with an injury. Players are responsible for maintaining their uniforms and equipment, and they do not receive any money when traveling.

Players across the leagues who should get on board, including legends such as Dipsy Selolwane, Khubamang, Tony Moyo, Amantle Montsho and the likes of Mpho Kelosiwang and Thato Kgosimore. The players will successfully invigorate the leagues to address their grievances, as well as establish an official minimum salary and a pension plan. The pioneers of these leagues should put a contest for their powerful millionaire bosses and risk their professional careers to ensure that future players in these leagues would be well compensated and cared for beyond their playing careers.

With athletes becoming professional much earlier, it is important that those older players on the road to retirement have a proper pension. Big leagues boast some of the largest salaries in all of sports, with the recent biggest purse being that of US Middleweight champion, Floyd Mayweather whose bout with Manny Pacquiao who grossed in the region of $300 million after their fight, Ronaldo and others. Sport has long been a big business in the world and it can only take many manifestations of the Players Association to get a fair portion of the revenue paid to the players. Starting with the brotherhood of Professional players, players should organize to increase their salaries and, most importantly, end the reserve clause that essentially gives owners the right to control where players could play.

The reserve rule is being used as, a handle for the manipulation of a traffic in players, a sort of speculation in livestock, by which they are bought, sold and transferred like so many sheep.

MPHO MOOKA

Botswana player union tackles non-payment with labour deal. Players in Botswana enjoy better legal protection thanks to the collective labour agreement the Footballers Union of Botswana (FUB) signed with the country’s football association (BFA).

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SUPER STAR!

ROSS BRANCH

Hero MotoSports Team Rally and “It was a really tough Dakar 2024, and BOTSWANA’S ROSS BRANCH manage I’m so thrilled to be here! Finishing on podium finish at the Dakar Rally. the podium was always the goal, and Ross Branch finished the rally in second place for the team. His consistent performance over the 12 stages saw him at the first and second spots in the overall rankings throughout the rally.

Hero MotoSports Team Rally, formed in 2016, saw three of the four Hero riders drop out of the race during the first week. Joaquim Rodrigues and Sebastian Buhler suffered injuries, while Joan Barreda, who displayed a fantastic performance in the first week, exited due to a mechanical failure in Stage 6. Botswana’s Branch held firm and recorded a fine finish in Saudi Arabia.

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today it’s a dream come true. I’m really over the moon to achieve this goal for Hero. A big thank you to the team for developing a highly competitive machine, for the sleepless three weeks here, and for everything they’ve sacrificed to reach to this point. I’m really proud of my team,” Branch said.

A FEW FACTS ABOUT ROSS BRANCH RACING EXPERIENCE I started racing when I was 4 years old. I turned professional at the age of 15 when I moved to Europe to pursue my dream of racing the World Motor Cross Championship.

I am to be a part of this team. I wear a smile and make sure I enjoy every bit when I am racing.

BEST PART OF THE JOB Everything!!! But I would say that I get to travel the world doing what I love and racing through places that some people will never get to see. I’m super lucky to do what I love doing!

SIDE HUSTLE I’m a commercial pilot in the Okavango Delta for Mack Air. So, during the off-season,

Other rallies 2021: 10th Silk Way Rally 2019 : 2nd Merzouga Rally 3-time South-African cross-country champion Botswana 1000 Desert Race (7 victories) Motocross African champion (6 times) RATIONALE TO RALLY I loved racing since I was young and dreamt of racing motorcycles for a living. I was drawn to rally racing when my dad and I got to watch the Dakar rally come through Namibia when they raced from Paris to Cape Town. I’ve always loved the adventure side of rally racing.

MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE It definitely has to be Kazakhstan 2021. My first rally win and my first World Championship win.

MOST CHALLENGINGEXPERIENCE Dakar 2020 was challenging. A stage win, followed by a crash and then the mousse collapsed and I somehow managed to finish.

PRE-RACE RITUAL Before every race, I remind myself of how fortunate 17

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LEGENDS CORNER: PETER MABILE

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that won the league and prestigious Coca Cola Cup that would qualify you for continental competitions. His son Leshona is playing for Jwaneng Galaxy fc.

Having started playing soccer an early age, Mabile went on to dominate headlines at BDF X1 before joining star studded Extension Gunners in Lobatse. This is where he won hearts of Batswana when he played alongside his homeboys, the late Odirile Sengwaketse and Terrance Mophuting, Magwegwe Motswagae and the likes of Jojo Mogotsi.

They were unstoppable Ezimnyamas.

The high-point of Mabile’s soccer career was in the 1990s he was part of the LCS Gunners

PICTURED ABOVE Gunners legend Peter Mabile and his son Leshona,just a continuation of where he left...

Extension Gunners legend Peter “Mpharanyane” Mabile in picture with his son Bakang Leshona during the 2018/19 BTC Premiership award ceremony.Leshona grabbed the young player of the season award during his stay at Mochudi Centre Chiefs.

It is just a continuation of where Mpharanyane left,the 21 year old Leshona now play for Jwaneng Galaxy.

eter “Ngwana wa Nesari’ Mabile is a Motswana former football star player. He is best known for being a high flying dribbling wizard on the flaks as well as Zebras National team.

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UNVEILING THE BOTSWANA INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CONTINENTAL TOUR WITH FNBB AS GOLD MEDIA RELEASE Gaborone, 10th January 2024 - In a

Cross Country, expressed excitement about FNBB’s involvement, stating, "We are thrilled to welcome First National Bank Botswana as the Goldsponsor for the Botswana International Cross Country. Their commitment to supporting sports aligns perfectly with the spirit of this event, which aims to provide a platform for both emerging and elite athletes to showcase their talent on a global stage.

roundbreaking collaboration, Golden Door Sports Agency and World Athletics, are set to deliver the first edition of Botswana International Cross Country Continental Tour. The event is scheduled to take place on January 27, 2024, at the Stanbic Bank Botswana Gaborone Golf Club.This event is poised to become a historic milestone in the world of athletics in Botswana.

Marking a pivotal moment for both the event and sports in the country, the Botswana International Cross Country has secured the prestigious ponsorship of First National Bank Botswana (FNBBotswana) as the Goldsponsor for the Coming competition.

As a Gold Status event accredited by World Athletics, the Botswana International Cross Country is set to draw top-tier athletes from across the globe, solidifying its status as a premier competition in the world of athletics.. The event’s coveted Gold Label from World Athletics Continental Tour positions it as a major attraction for both international and professional athletes.

Glody Dube, organiser of the Botswana International

This event holds immense significance as one of only two World Athletics Continental TourGold CrossCountry competitions hosted in Africa annually, and the sole one in Southern Africa with gold status. FNBBotswana’s sponsorship not only reinforces the event’ s prestige but positions it as a major attraction for international and local professional athletes.

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PERSPECTIVE

S DEC-JAN 2024

JANUARY TRANFER NEWS

KARIM BENZEMA BREAKS SILENCE ON SAUDI ARABIA EXIT AFTER MAN UTD ‘GREENLIGHT’ TRANSFER Karim Benzema has been heavily linked with a departure from Al-Ittihad this month after a falling out with his manager, with Manchester United one of the clubs eyeing a move. Karim Benzema has denied he wants to leave Al-Ittihad, amid reports linking him with a move to Manchester United.

Benzema only moved to the Saudi Pro League in the summer, when he decided to leave Real Madrid on a free transfer. The striker became a modern-day legend at the Bernabeu, winning four La

Liga titles and five Champions League trophies during his time with Los Blancos.

TRANSFERS THAT COULD STILL HAPPEN IN FINAL WEEK OF JANUARY WINDOW Kalvin Phillips has long been linked with a departure from Manchester City this month.

The midfielder has found game-time hard to come by at the Etihad Stadium, with the champions ready to sanction a loan move for him.

Miguel Almiron Newcastle look set to be the busiest club during the final stages of the window. The most likely player to move on is Miguel Almiron, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab eyeing a move.

Another Newcastle star linked with an exit from St James’ Park is captain Kieran Trippier. An exit for the right-back would be a major surprise given how important he has been to Eddie Howe’s revival of the Toon.

Bayern Munich are keen to bring the England international to the Allianz Arena.

Magpies are looking to rectify that by moving for Nottingham Forest star Morgan GibbsWhite. The midfielder has impressed for Forest this season and while the Midlands side will resist any offers, he could be tempted to move north.

2024 Stall Prices 3 x 3m P5,000.00 5 x 5m P7,000.00 5 x 10m P10,000.00 Food stalls -P500.00 Contacts: +267 7463 4615 /+267 7293 5370 Fb: Botswana Sports Expo

FREE ENTRY FROM 6AM - 6PM

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Stall Prices

POWERED BY Contacts: +267 7463 4615 /+267 7293 5370 Fb: Botswana Sports Expo

POWERED BY Contacts: +267 7463 4615 /+267 7293 5370 Fb: Botswana Sports Expo

3 x 3m P5,000.00 5 x 5m P7,000.00 5 x 10m P10,000.00 Food stalls -P500.00