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‘Disabled athletes need more support’

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Sello Mothebe
Sello Mothebe

BASOTHO athletes have over the years struggled to make an imprint at various international sporting tournaments. Other than three Commonwealth medals, there are no other sporting achievements worth talking about after half a century of independence.

Lesotho’s Paralympians are no exception, with runner Sello Mothebe and discus thrower Litsitso Khotlele failing to advance beyond the preliminary stages of the 2016 Paralympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro Brazil last month.

Sunday Express sports reporter caught up with the 39-year old Mothebe for a wide ranging interview on the challenges facing athletes with disabilities among other issues.

Among the major tournaments the veteran runner competed in are the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England and Melbourne, Australia respectively; 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece and various All Africa Games.

SE: Were you satisfied with your performance at the 2016 Paralympic Games?

Mothebe: I can’t say I am satisfied but also think I fared well considering my preparations and the events leading to the games.

SE: You mentioned certain events leading to the games, can you please elucidate?

Mothebe: I prepared well for the games and was confident of doing well. However, I only started working with coach Selloane Tšoaeli after arriving in Rio and somehow it affected me because I had to change my programme and work with hers. The major problem was that we did not have much time to implement her ideas hence the outcome.

SE: So you were training by yourself and only given a coach when the games began?

Mothebe: I was in a very difficult situation and there was nothing I could do except to do my level best. But when Tšoaeli’s methods did not work out, I told her I would do it my way, and I think I performed much better in the 200 metre race.

SE: Now that the Paralympics are over, what’s next for you?

Mothebe: I have resumed training because there are some competitions I intend to participate in next year.

SE: At your age, don’t you think the time has come time to call it quits and focus on other things?

Mothebe: {laughs} No way! I will continue running until my legs can’t carry me. For now, I am still strong, and there are the 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2020 Paralympics in store. After that, I can then decide otherwise.

SE: You mentioned that you are targeting some competitions to get yourself fit and up to standard. Is the National Paralympics Committee of Lesotho (NAPCOL) sponsoring your trips?

Mothebe: No I usually pay for everything myself I have been lucky to get some sponsorship from Leloli Travel and Tours as NAPCOL will always tell me that such competitions are not in their calendar of events.

SE: Okay I see…from the Rio Games what did you learn?

Mothebe: If there is one thing that I have learnt is that without proper and thorough preparations, one cannot win anything and that is where we are lagging behind as country. We participate in these major tournaments without making preparations. For example, I met many of the athletes I saw in Rio at the All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville last year. Since then, they have been going all over the world participating in various tournaments while with me the opposite was true.

We need to compete with the best athletes worldwide if we are to become the best. One important aspect we need to pay attention to is the weather conditions in the countries we compete in. We should prepare for major competitions by holding training camps in places with similar conditions as the countries we would compete in. It’s an issue that affected me because it was very hot in Brazil.

We are not really that far behind as a country, but just need to work on those few things.

Added to that, there should be continuity for our players. We can’t keep on sending new athletes to the major tournaments and expect results without continuity, because the more we participate, the more we grow as athletes.

If we are to become a better sporting nation, we also should stop politicizing issues in our national federations. Let’s leave politics to politicians and focus on developing sport in the country.

SE: How easy do you think it is to achieve all these aspirations looking at the depressed state of our country’s finances?

Mothebe: Government must play its part when it comes to sport development in the country. Sport is very expensive and unfortunately to get noticed in this country requires hard work and determination because we don’t really have scouts.

The most unfortunate part is most children or people living with disabilities are born from less-privileged families. So it is a bit of a challenge for us.

SE: But do you think people living with disabilities are getting enough recognition in sports?

Mothebe: I don’t think we are doing enough to make people with disabilities aware of their rights so we have to take it from there. There are so many homes for people with disabilities in this country but only few engage in sport.

The other thing that I think is hindering us is lack of qualified coaches in the country. The other challenge is we don’t have sport in our school curricular so schools are hesitating to release kids to go and play.

SE: Who exactly is supposed and make people living with disabilities know their rights?

Mothebe: One of  NAPCOL’s responsibilities is to develop sport in people living with disabilities, so they are the ones who should be pushing for that. We also have sports associations for people with disabilities.

SE: In terms of infrastructure are they accommodated?

Mothebe: It is such a challenge because we have different disabilities, so most of the infrastructure we have doesn’t accommodate all of us. It is an issue that should be looked into. We need more training zones that can be easily accessible by all the people regardless of their status.

I think government is not giving NAPCOL enough subvention to accommodate all of their programs so the business sector should invest in sport.

SE: Going back to you…which route will you be taking after retiring?

Mothebe: You know from 2007 to 2009 I thought I was old and took a break as an athlete and got involved in sport administration. I was voted into the Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission as an executive member but I noticed that is not really what’s made for me. There is too much politics in administration and I think I want to be a coach.

I have enough experience as an athlete and I just need to take coaching courses as I want to pass on my knowledge to others and I also want to take a part in ensuring Lesotho sport develops.

 

 

 

 

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