Editorial: Let’s Not Act Like A Nation Of Beggars

THE behaviour of certain participants from Namibia at the recent Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne, Australia, leaves a lot to be desired, and holds the potential to tarnish this country’s image abroad.

On April 5, The Namibian reported in a front-page article headlined ‘Commonwealth participants hit by controversy’ that some members of the team had stolen linen, towels and other fixtures from the chalets where they were staying. The items were apparently returned before the Namibian team left Australia, but the incident as a whole leaves many Namibians with a bad taste in their mouths.Whoever is chosen to represent our country, on whatever platform, be it sport or any other area, needs to do so to the best of his or her ability.This includes not only their performance in the area in which they represent us, but more particularly their personal behaviour.As far as we are aware, the Namibian participants at the Games in Melbourne, which spanned a few weeks, were well looked-after.They must surely also have been briefed before their departure for Australia on the requirements for being ambassadors for their country.Whatever in-fighting there was among various team members does not excuse behaviour such as this, and it is unacceptable for some of the technical members of the side to dismiss the incident on such grounds.Not only did a certain team attempt to steal items from the place where they were staying, but they have also been accused of acting like ‘beggars’, requesting money from some of the Australian volunteers who assisted them.This, too, is unacceptable behaviour.If there were any issues about spending money and suchlike, these complaints should have been lodged with the technical members of the Namibian team, of whom there were many, to investigate.At no stage should any of our sportsmen and women have been reduced to ‘begging’ money from others.Excuses are not acceptable.Team members could have checked before packing up items they were not entitled to take.The result was an embarrassment to us all.We understand that even President Hifikepunye Pohamba has demanded an investigation from his Sports Minister, and it is absolutely necessary to do so.Attempts by some of the representatives of sport in our country to sweep the matter under the rug, and try to convince the media not to write about it, are also unacceptable.Our boxers in particular acquitted themselves well at the Games in the sporting arena, and Namibia brought home the gold medal in the flyweight category, a fact which made Namibians undeniably proud of this achievement.It is a pity that such a negative incident should have risked overshadowing our pride in the sportspeople in question.Namibians must represent their country at the highest level.The incident also highlights the need to properly brief those who go abroad to represent us on various missions, and whatever these tasks may be, so that we can hold our heads high and be globally recognised as a country that has people of high personal calibre representing us.We cannot help but make a comparison with a person like Frank Fredericks, who is the most illustrious athlete ever to represent our country, and who made us proud in more ways than one.Not only with his sporting achievements, which were considerable, but more particularly his gentlemanly behaviour at all times, which never failed to impress the international sports media and all others he came into contact with.He set the example, and this is something all others must follow.We are certain that the President, when he meets with the team, will strongly emphasise this same point and we hope that it makes a difference in future.The items were apparently returned before the Namibian team left Australia, but the incident as a whole leaves many Namibians with a bad taste in their mouths.Whoever is chosen to represent our country, on whatever platform, be it sport or any other area, needs to do so to the best of his or her ability.This includes not only their performance in the area in which they represent us, but more particularly their personal behaviour.As far as we are aware, the Namibian participants at the Games in Melbourne, which spanned a few weeks, were well looked-after.They must surely also have been briefed before their departure for Australia on the requirements for being ambassadors for their country.Whatever in-fighting there was among various team members does not excuse behaviour such as this, and it is unacceptable for some of the technical members of the side to dismiss the incident on such grounds. Not only did a certain team attempt to steal items from the place where they were staying, but they have also been accused of acting like ‘beggars’, requesting money from some of the Australian volunteers who assisted them.This, too, is unacceptable behaviour.If there were any issues about spending money and suchlike, these complaints should have been lodged with the technical members of the Namibian team, of whom there were many, to investigate.At no stage should any of our sportsmen and women have been reduced to ‘begging’ money from others.Excuses are not acceptable.Team members could have checked before packing up items they were not entitled to take.The result was an embarrassment to us all.We understand that even President Hifikepunye Pohamba has demanded an investigation from his Sports Minister, and it is absolutely necessary to do so.Attempts by some of the representatives of sport in our country to sweep the matter under the rug, and try to convince the media not to write about it, are also unacceptable.Our boxers in particular acquitted themselves well at the Games in the sporting arena, and Namibia brought home the gold medal in the flyweight category, a fact which made Namibians undeniably proud of this achievement.It is a pity that such a negative incident should have risked overshadowing our pride in the sportspeople in question.Namibians must represent their country at the highest level.The incident also highlights the need to properly brief those who go abroad to represent us on various missions, and whatever these tasks may be, so that we can hold our heads high and be globally recognised as a country that has people of high personal calibre representing us.We cannot help but make a comparison with a person like Frank Fredericks, who is the most illustrious athlete ever to represent our country, and who made us proud in more ways than one.Not only with his sporting achievements, which were considerable, but more particularly his gentlemanly behaviour at all times, which never failed to impress the international sports media and all others he came into contact with.He set the example, and this is something all others must follow.We are certain that the President, when he meets with the team, will strongly emphasise this same point and we hope that it makes a difference in future.