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Botswana: Minister Applauds BTA
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
19 March 2008
Posted to the web 19 March 2008
Mogomotsi Moloi
Minister of Sport, Youth and Culture, Moeng Pheto, has applauded the Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) for convincing the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to give them the opportunity to host the African Junior Championships for the second year in a row.
"There must be something that BTA did well previously, which privileged the association with the opportunity to host the event twice in a row," said the minister on Monday at the official opening the on-going 31st ITF and Confederation of the African Tennis (CAT) championships.
Thirty countries are taking part in the continental event. Pheto explained that overcoming the challenges of the tournament is no mean achievement. It takes quite a lot of sacrifice, time, resources and commitment for it to be a success and the commitment by the hosts can never be overemphasized, he added.
Despite the rainy weather, Pheto was convinced that the tournament will be a success and provide a platform for young men and women from all over Africa and the world to compete against each other. He pointed out that hosting such a big event enhances the development of tennis in the country. He is sure that teams prepared well and the level of the competition will be of the highest standard.
He pleaded with the visiting teams to feel at home because Botswana is a peaceful, stable and democratic country. "We hope that you will also be able to see some of our beautiful landscapes and enjoy some of the tastiest dishes we are renowned, especially our beef," Pheto told the visitors. He hailed the sponsors of the event. He conceded that government alone cannot cover all the costs, hence the need for corporate intervention. He said BTA must forge ahead in maintaining its relationship with private companies for the benefit of tennis. ITF representative Curl Davis expressed satisfaction with the BTA and the Local Organising Committee's (LOC) preparations. He hoped that the event will be a massive success and the players would achieve what they are here for. The only worry is bad weather since the tournament is played in outdoor courts at BTA centre and University of Botswana (UB).
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Judge Mookodi, BTA president, could not hide his excitement at the opening ceremony. "We have had a lot of challenges preparing for this event but I hope we would enjoy the 10 days of tennis," he said. He urged players not to be discouraged by the rain. Some countries like Algeria and Tunisia are yet to arrive while some pitched up late. Botswana pins her hopes on the 14 boys and 10 girls it has fielded in the competition. By the time of writing, some local players were on the courts battling out in the International Junior Championships. This is an open tournament for players under the age of 18. The tournament continues until March 30.
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