Athletics Namibia seeks to raise funds for Christie

ATHLETICS Namibia on Friday requested the Namibia National Olympic Committee to include 100 metre sprinter Christie van Wyk in the Namibian Olympic team, and offered to raise funds to send the athlete to Greece.

Van Wyk was sidelined from the Namibian contingent which leaves for Athens, Greece, next week after he failed to represent the country at major African athletics events. Athletics Namibia (AN) submitted its written request to NNOC President Agnes Tjongarero, who is also the chairperson of the International Games Committee (IGC).Tjongarero said the issue was not about funds for Van Wyk to take part in the Olympics, but his exclusion was purely as a matter of principle.Initially, the IGC decided to exclude Van Wyk from the team as he was apparently only willing to compete in races held overseas, but not in Africa.But AN Secretary-General Frank Slabbert yesterday told The Namibian Sport that the decision was unjust as Van Wyk took part at the African Senior Championships held in Tunisia in 2002.He said at this stage it was difficult to get athletes who study far away from Namibia to races as it costs a lot of money.Van Wyk is currently a student in the United States of America.Van Wyk has been accredited and has been accepted to compete in the 100 metre race at the Olympics, the letter from AN stated.Tjongarero said she would refer the matter to the NSC, which is the highest decision making body on local athletes competing at the Games.Nampa at the weekend quoted Tjongarero as saying: “We live in a democratic country.We just have to co-operate because at the end of the day we need each other”.Tjongarero said the decision to bar Van Wyk from the Olympics was also in accordance with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Charter, which states that a National Olympic Committee and government should work together in the interest of sport.Athletics Namibia (AN) submitted its written request to NNOC President Agnes Tjongarero, who is also the chairperson of the International Games Committee (IGC).Tjongarero said the issue was not about funds for Van Wyk to take part in the Olympics, but his exclusion was purely as a matter of principle.Initially, the IGC decided to exclude Van Wyk from the team as he was apparently only willing to compete in races held overseas, but not in Africa.But AN Secretary-General Frank Slabbert yesterday told The Namibian Sport that the decision was unjust as Van Wyk took part at the African Senior Championships held in Tunisia in 2002.He said at this stage it was difficult to get athletes who study far away from Namibia to races as it costs a lot of money.Van Wyk is currently a student in the United States of America.Van Wyk has been accredited and has been accepted to compete in the 100 metre race at the Olympics, the letter from AN stated.Tjongarero said she would refer the matter to the NSC, which is the highest decision making body on local athletes competing at the Games.Nampa at the weekend quoted Tjongarero as saying: “We live in a democratic country.We just have to co-operate because at the end of the day we need each other”.Tjongarero said the decision to bar Van Wyk from the Olympics was also in accordance with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Charter, which states that a National Olympic Committee and government should work together in the interest of sport.