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The Botswana National Olympic Committee has responded to claims of unpaid allowances to Olympic athletes including Letsile Tebogo.
The Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) has officially denied rumors surrounding unpaid athlete allowances following the withdrawal of top sprinters Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Collen Kebinatshipi from the upcoming World Relay Championships in China.
The news comes on the heels of a surprising announcement by the Botswana Athletics Association (BAA), which confirmed that the trio would not be participating in the prestigious global event set for May 10–11 in China.
Their absence sparked speculation about unresolved financial issues stemming from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where Tebogo and the duo led Botswana to a historic silver medal in the men’s 4x400m relay behind a dominant Team USA.
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BNOC Issues Statement
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In a formal statement released on Wednesday, May 7, BNOC sought to clarify the situation and reassure the public.
“The Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) is aware of circulating news regarding national team athletes Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Collen Kebinatshipi's decision not to compete at the upcoming World Relay Championships, to be held in China on the 10th–11th May 2025," read part of the statement.
"Whilst unfortunate, the BNOC wishes to reiterate the following to the public; All athletes that represented the nation at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as part of Team Botswana were duly paid their allowances and incentives prior to the team arriving home from said Games.”
The statement also emphasized that the athletes’ decision to withdraw from the relay championships is unrelated to financial matters, attributing it instead to personal reasons.
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Both the BAA and BNOC confirmed that the athletes' decisions were respected and made in consultation with their management teams.
“Whilst the current situation is regrettable, we wish to acknowledge the decisions made by the athletes and their supporting entourage with respect to their participation at these Championships. We further wish to encourage Batswana to continue to rally behind Team Botswana as they represent us in China,” BNOC added.
Botswana’s silver-medal-winning performance in Paris was a watershed moment for the nation’s athletics history, with Tebogo, Ndori, and Kebinatshipi emerging as national heroes.
Their absence from this year’s World Relays, a competition they won in 2024 to qualify for the Olympics, raises challenges for Botswana's chances in the event.
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Despite the setback, Team Botswana is expected to field a competitive squad in China, with hopes of building on their global success.
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