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Letsile Tebogo Says He Rejected Qatar, UAE and Tunisia Bids to Switch Nationality

He cites eligibility rules that could sideline him for years as a key reason.

Overview

  • In a Duma FM interview, the 22-year-old said Qatar, the UAE and Tunisia offered citizenship with annual payments to secure his allegiance.
  • He said the proposals were considered and then declined, adding that no deal is currently under discussion.
  • Tebogo noted that changing nationality could keep him out of top-level competition for years, influencing his decision at this stage of his career.
  • World Athletics rules require a three-year wait after an athlete’s last competition for their original country before representing another nation, with limited exceptions.
  • The stance comes after a landmark season for Botswana that included Olympic 200m gold, 4x400m silver in Paris and relay gold in Tokyo, with the government awarding him and teammates new housing.