Athletics exco legitimate: Chinue

WINDHOEK – The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Africa Area Representative, Leonard Chinue, says the world athletics body still recognises the current Athletics Namibia (AN) executive under the leadership of Alpha Kangueehi.

Chinue arrived in Namibia on Tuesday after he requested an urgent meeting with athletics administrators. He left the country yesterday.The urgent meeting was attended by the AN regional chairpersons of Kavango, Oshana and North Central.After that meeting, Chinue said the AN executive under Kangueehi was still recognised and had not been dissolved.He said he had been in constant communication with Sport Minister John Mutorwa, who had informed him that IAAF, AN and the concerned parties must solve their differences.He said he was never advised to take the matter up with the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) at all.Chinue, who came to Namibia to listen to the dispute and problems affecting AN, said according to what he had observed, the only region that had disrupted athletics in the country was Khomas, particularly its chairman Quinton-Steele Botes.Chinue said he was personally convinced that the disturbances in athletics were caused by one region only.He questioned why Botes had called the IAAF head office in Monaco on Tuesday this week to ask who had given Chinue the mandate to come to Namibia.The response to Botes from Monaco, Chinue said, was that Chinue had not been mandated by anyone but was in charge of athletics in Africa.”An official invitation was extended to Botes to attend the meeting but instead he chose to phone to excuse himself from the meeting,” said Chinue.According to him, the meeting was the appropriate platform for Khomas to submit its grievances, but this was not done.He also claimed that he had received a call from the Namibia Sports Commission’s Commissioner Alna Similo, who told him that he was not welcome in Namibia.Said Chinue: “I was never stopped by immigration officials and my passport is intact, what is she afraid of? I have only come to assist and resolve the problems.”According to the documents presented to him regarding the motion of no confidence in the AN executive, the meeting found that the signature of the Caprivi chairman had been forged.Erongo was also found not to be a member of the AN after failing to attend numerous meetings.A letter addressed to AN by the North Central Athletics Region regarding the vote of no confidence in the AN says the following: “We are shocked and surprised by the premature interference by the Sports Commission in the affairs of Athletics Namibia that is founded on the basis of constitutional fundamentals.Further, the Commission has little regard for the constitution upon which Athletics Namibia is founded, because of the above reason the North Central Region hereby distances itself from the attempted takeover by the Sports Commission.”Chinue said the only genuine signatory from the regions who submitted the vote of no confidence was Khomas, but they did not attend the meeting.”We need to pull together as Government, IAAF and AN in eliminating those who disturb athletics.Athletics is not just in Windhoek but in rural areas, Khomas is depriving smaller children who are destitute and come from disadvantaged communities,” Chinue said.He said the IAAF would continue supporting AN by sending grants and would fully stand behind it in its endeavours.NampaHe left the country yesterday.The urgent meeting was attended by the AN regional chairpersons of Kavango, Oshana and North Central.After that meeting, Chinue said the AN executive under Kangueehi was still recognised and had not been dissolved.He said he had been in constant communication with Sport Minister John Mutorwa, who had informed him that IAAF, AN and the concerned parties must solve their differences.He said he was never advised to take the matter up with the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) at all.Chinue, who came to Namibia to listen to the dispute and problems affecting AN, said according to what he had observed, the only region that had disrupted athletics in the country was Khomas, particularly its chairman Quinton-Steele Botes.Chinue said he was personally convinced that the disturbances in athletics were caused by one region only.He questioned why Botes had called the IAAF head office in Monaco on Tuesday this week to ask who had given Chinue the mandate to come to Namibia.The response to Botes from Monaco, Chinue said, was that Chinue had not been mandated by anyone but was in charge of athletics in Africa.”An official invitation was extended to Botes to attend the meeting but instead he chose to phone to excuse himself from the meeting,” said Chinue.According to him, the meeting was the appropriate platform for Khomas to submit its grievances, but this was not done.He also claimed that he had received a call from the Namibia Sports Commission’s Commissioner Alna Similo, who told him that he was not welcome in Namibia.Said Chinue: “I was never stopped by immigration officials and my passport is intact, what is she afraid of? I have only come to assist and resolve the problems.”According to the documents presented to him regarding the motion of no confidence in the AN executive, the meeting found that the signature of the Caprivi chairman had been forged.Erongo was also found not to be a member of the AN after failing to attend numerous meetings.A letter addressed to AN by the North Central Athletics Region regarding the vote of no confidence in the AN says the following: “We are shocked and surprised by the premature interference by the Sports Commission in the affairs of Athletics Namibia that is founded on the basis of constitutional fundamentals.Further, the Commission has little regard for the constitution upon which Athletics Namibia is founded, because of the above reason the North Central Region hereby distances itself from the attempted takeover by the Sports Commission.”Chinue said the only genuine signatory from the regions who submitted the vote of no confidence was Khomas, but they did not attend the meeting.”We need to pull together as Government, IAAF and AN in eliminating those who disturb athletics.Athletics is not just in Windhoek but in rural areas, Khomas is depriving smaller children who are destitute and come from disadvantaged communities,” Chinue said.He said the IAAF would continue supporting AN by sending grants and would fully stand behind it in its endeavours.Nampa