JWANENG - Who penned a covering letter that facilitated the African 400m champion Amantle Montsho's return to train in Senegal? Two organisations, which are supposed to be in the know and are responsible for the athlete's welfare have both absolved themselves.

However, Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) is pointing a finger at Botswana National Olympics Committee(BNOC). Surprisingly BNOC has also washed its hands.

The athlete who left the country on Tuesday is part of a team of four athletes who had been preparing to leave for an American centre.

Montsho, Isaac Makwala and Fanuel Kenosi who were on vacation, had been training at the Dakar centre through the IAAF sponsorship.

However, BAA was informed in August that the athletes' fund had been exhausted hence advised to look elsewhere for sponsorship.

They managed to secure it from Botswana National Sport Council and decided to send the athletes to the US for better training.

However, they were surprised to learn that Montsho was no longer interested to go the US and that she preferred Senegal.

This was because Montsho had earlier on expressed desire to change coaches, further indicating that she no longer wanted to train at the Dakar Centre.

BAA said it was still puzzled at her sudden change of mind let alone where she obtained the covering letter that enabled her to apply for a visa to return to Senegal.

However, BAA Senior Sports Development Officer (SDO) Bobby Gaseitsiwe was adamant in an interview that BNOC, who are responsible for facilitating high level training abroad should know because Montsho would not obtain a visa without a sponsor's letter.

Gaseitsiwe said BNOC must have written the letter as the sponsor and consequently becoming her guardian whilst in Senegal.

He maintained that Montsho only sent him a message to the effect that she was leaving for Senegal without any communication from BNOC. As such they were not party to Montsho's trip.

The SDO said BAA wanted Montsho to train in the US and had planned a year-long programme for the team because compared to Senegal, the US was more challenging.

Gaseitsewe said training in the US would have helped her enhance her performance by training and competing against the world's best.

Gaseitsiwe argued that Jamaican athletes who were excelling trained in the US too. The SDO said some coaches in certain centres were not high level trainers hence Montsho deserved better.

Although the athlete said she decided to go to Senegal because BAA had stalled her move to the US, Gaseitsiwe expressed concern at the athlete's statement.

He said if it were not for Montsho's delaying tactics, she and the rest of the team would have already been in the US.

The official said because of the delay, the coach they had initially arranged for the team replaced them with Nigerian athletes, thus forcing BAA to look for a new centre.

Compounding the situation further, BNOC secretary general Moses Moruise said he was not even aware that Montsho was leaving that Tuesday. Moruise explained that BNOC, BAA and Montsho were still to meet to discuss the issue.

He said BAA had ealier told them that the athlete would travel to the US, a move she was not in favour of, noting that IOC through instruction from IAAF ultimately bought Montsho a ticket.

When asked about the supporting document, BNOC facilities and relations manager Dickson Gabanakgosi said, notwithstanding that the letter might have been issued from their office, so far no one has admitted issuing it.

Gabanakgosi said Montsho only approached them requesting for assistance to obtain a visa.

He said he advised her to wait for the meeting but was surprised to learn that she had already left for Senegal.

As to who issued the letter that Montsho used to obtain a visa remains a mystery to Gabanakgosi but investigations are on-going. BOPA