Arrows quiver under match suspensions

THE Namibia Football Association (NFA) has suspended two players from Premier League side Eleven Arrows, after they attacked match officials during an NFA Cup match played at Walvis Bay at the end of last month.

Arrows midfielder Norman Blake was handed a two-year suspension and is expected to return to the playing field only at the beginning of 2006, while Haitamba will be out of action until the end of December this year. Blake and Haitamba were suspended with immediate effect from all football activities, the NFA’s spokesperson Cassius Moetie said in a statement this week.He said Blake had punched Black Africa midfielder Sylvester Goraseb in the face during the match that was played at the Kuisebmund Stadium on January 25.The referee issued red cards to both Blake and Goraseb after consulting his assistant.Moetie said Blake had gone a step further by attacking both the referee and his assistant after being given his marching orders.Then Haitamba, who was on the bench after he was substituted at the start of the second half, stormed onto the pitch and became embroiled in a fight with the assistant referee.Despite the incident, the match continued with Black Africa winning 3-1 in the end.”The NFA is highly disappointed by the behaviour of the two Arrows players and would like to encourage all Namibian football players to maintain absolute restraint and enjoy the game instead of behaving like hooligans on the field of play,” Moetie said.”The NFA also has an obligation to protect its match officials by any means necessary and at any football match played under the vanguard of the football controlling body”.Asked how the NFA had gone about suspending the players, Moetie explained that since, the competition was held under NFA auspices, the organising committee of the event had decided on the punishments.”The NFA administers the competition and we have the mandate in taking action in regard to any disruptive forces during the event,” he said.Eleven Arrows spokesperson Gabriel Tjombe yesterday told The Namibian Sport that he was disappointed with the entire suspension process.He said the NFA did not inform his club or the players about the prospect but made it known to the media first.”I don’t have a problem with the decision they took because I also don’t condone such behaviour from our players, but I am not happy with the way things were done,” he said.Arrows chairman Marco Plaatjies said the NFA had to apologise to them for the “unprofessional manner” in which it had conducted the matter.There was a possibility the club would appeal against the suspension of Haitamba, a former national team and Civics player, he added.Blake and Haitamba were suspended with immediate effect from all football activities, the NFA’s spokesperson Cassius Moetie said in a statement this week. He said Blake had punched Black Africa midfielder Sylvester Goraseb in the face during the match that was played at the Kuisebmund Stadium on January 25. The referee issued red cards to both Blake and Goraseb after consulting his assistant. Moetie said Blake had gone a step further by attacking both the referee and his assistant after being given his marching orders. Then Haitamba, who was on the bench after he was substituted at the start of the second half, stormed onto the pitch and became embroiled in a fight with the assistant referee. Despite the incident, the match continued with Black Africa winning 3-1 in the end. “The NFA is highly disappointed by the behaviour of the two Arrows players and would like to encourage all Namibian football players to maintain absolute restraint and enjoy the game instead of behaving like hooligans on the field of play,” Moetie said. “The NFA also has an obligation to protect its match officials by any means necessary and at any football match played under the vanguard of the football controlling body”. Asked how the NFA had gone about suspending the players, Moetie explained that since, the competition was held under NFA auspices, the organising committee of the event had decided on the punishments. “The NFA administers the competition and we have the mandate in taking action in regard to any disruptive forces during the event,” he said. Eleven Arrows spokesperson Gabriel Tjombe yesterday told The Namibian Sport that he was disappointed with the entire suspension process. He said the NFA did not inform his club or the players about the prospect but made it known to the media first. “I don’t have a problem with the decision they took because I also don’t condone such behaviour from our players, but I am not happy with the way things were done,” he said. Arrows chairman Marco Plaatjies said the NFA had to apologise to them for the “unprofessional manner” in which it had conducted the matter. There was a possibility the club would appeal against the suspension of Haitamba, a former national team and Civics player, he added.