Gaborone — Following a hiatus last season, the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) has revitalised the National Volleyball League (NVL) Botswana with a sponsorship of P1,000,800 for this season.
This funding will cover mobilisation grants for participating teams, league administration costs, and prize money for both men's and women's competitions.
Speaking at a press conference in Gaborone on Thursday, BNSC director of sports development, Peaceful Seleka explained that, in the post-COVID era, the government decided to support seven struggling team sports that had faced difficulties securing sponsorships and partnership deals.
Among these are Botswana Netball, Boxing, Basketball Associations and Rugby Union.
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Seleka clarified that the sponsorship was not permanent due to financial constraints but was intended to help these sports take off and attract future partnerships.
He said the government's primary focus remained on broader development priorities.
Additionally, Seleka announced that over the weekend, BNSC will host an indoor sports festival featuring six sports: judo, basketball, boxing, netball, volleyball, and table tennis.
He said that there was room to include more sports in future events.
He also highlighted the shortage of indoor facilities, many of which were inaccessible, putting local athletes at a disadvantage compared to their international opponents who train and compete indoors.
He stressed that such festivals were vital, offering spectators a variety of sports and providing a platform to attract potential sponsors.
Seleka appealed for increased support to help Botswana become a recognised sports hub, citing the upcoming World Relays as an example of the country's potential to host high-calibre competitions.
National Volleyball League Botswana corporate relations officer, Monica Alfred presented that a significant part of the sponsorship (P567, 840) would go toward mobilisation fees for 26 teams, with each team receiving P21,840 to cover participation costs throughout the season.
Meanwhile, she said P199,960 had been allocated for league administration, supporting logistics and organisational needs to ensure smooth competition operations.
Prize money has also been set aside, with the men's league offering P122,500 and the women's league P110,500 aimed at rewarding top-performing teams.
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This financial support, Alfred said was expected to boost participation, increase competitiveness, and ease financial pressures faced by clubs.
The league, kickstarting this Saturday is anticipated to feature 26 (14 men, 12 women) teams from across Botswana. ENDS
BOPA
