Africa-Press – Botswana. Each game is important in keeping the body fit and the mind engaged.
Francistown East Member of Parliament, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth, Sport, Gender and Culture, Buti Billy said thus when launching the annual snooker competitions in Francistown Saturday.
Billy said the games were a way of keeping youth away from drug and substance and keeping their minds and bodies engaged so that they did not have time for illegal practices. He said the snooker competitions also served as an entertainment tool and a way of empowering youth to become independent in the area of sport.
He said the games would be played under strict conduct rules which involve disqualifying those who break them, therefore taming players to be responsible and honest. Billy said if taken to consideration, the game could attract sponsors and help boost its popularity.
“The country has hosted a lot of sporting events in recent years and it will be interesting to add snooker to the list,” added Billy.
He added that snooker was a good game for people who preferred non-contact sport.
“We have seen the incredible impact sport has on youth, and I believe we will see snooker and its legacy too”, he added.
For his part, deputy mayor of Francistown, Lesego Kwambala said there had been complaints of snooker areas harbouring drugs, urging players to refrain from such a vice to avoid being disqualified.
He added that pupils in school uniform should be prohibited from playing snooker as this could damage the reputation of the sport before it even started.
Kwambala said the completion would foster a relationship among players and sharpen their skills. “We are all winners, unfortunately only one winner is crowned so those who do not win this time should not be discouraged,” added Kwambala.
Onkgopotse Kena, a 25-year-old snooker player, said he was ready to explore his snooker skills. He said in this era of unemployment stress, snooker kept him sane and from overthinking.
He said the games were a good initiative to keep young people away from the streets and also provide them with entertainment. The games will be played at ward level and those who qualify will compete at constituency level, where the winner will walk away with P2 000, followed by second prize with P1 500 while the third prize will be P1 000.
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