BEIJING – Former Namibian and world sprint ace Frank Fredericks is disappointed with boxer Japhet Uutoni’s defeat against Polish boxer Lukasz Maszcyk on Saturday evening.
Having watched the fight, Fredericks told Nampa that it was a close call, and it was difficult to swallow Uutoni’s defeat. “If someone has to make the decision whether a boxer loses or wins, it will never be fair to sportsmen.But, as sportsmen we have to accept the rules of the game,” he said.”I am sure the Polish corner would also have been unhappy if they had lost,” he added.Uutoni controversially lost after a 5-all draw.On Team Namibia’s performance in general, Fredericks said that the competition is very tough at the Olympics, with 10 500 athletes competing for medals.”Maybe we should sit down with the (Namibian) athletes to see how to better prepare for the 2012 London Olympic Games”, he said.Fredericks said it seems that the preparation money given by the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) to the athletes was not enough.”We cannot continue spending money if we do not get medals.We have to justify (money spent) to the taxpayers by coming home with medals,” he stressed.Unless any of the remaining Namibian athletes win medals, it will be the third Olympic Games that Namibia does not win medals after Fredericks’s two silver medals in the 100m and 200m events of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.However, Fredericks still had hope that 1 500m runner Agnes Samaria and mountain biker Mannie Heymans would produce medals.Fredericks said he was happy and honoured with his election as the new chairperson of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission.Fredericks received the resounding support of the IOC membership (92 votes in favour, eight against) on August 8, and will now take the voice of the athletes to the core of the IOC’s decision-making body.He realises that the new position comes with a lot of responsibilities.”I am now at the heart of the IOC executive board.It is a nice honour,” he said.Nampa”If someone has to make the decision whether a boxer loses or wins, it will never be fair to sportsmen.But, as sportsmen we have to accept the rules of the game,” he said.”I am sure the Polish corner would also have been unhappy if they had lost,” he added.Uutoni controversially lost after a 5-all draw.On Team Namibia’s performance in general, Fredericks said that the competition is very tough at the Olympics, with 10 500 athletes competing for medals.”Maybe we should sit down with the (Namibian) athletes to see how to better prepare for the 2012 London Olympic Games”, he said.Fredericks said it seems that the preparation money given by the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) to the athletes was not enough.”We cannot continue spending money if we do not get medals.We have to justify (money spent) to the taxpayers by coming home with medals,” he stressed.Unless any of the remaining Namibian athletes win medals, it will be the third Olympic Games that Namibia does not win medals after Fredericks’s two silver medals in the 100m and 200m events of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.However, Fredericks still had hope that 1 500m runner Agnes Samaria and mountain biker Mannie Heymans would produce medals.Fredericks said he was happy and honoured with his election as the new chairperson of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission.Fredericks received the resounding support of the IOC membership (92 votes in favour, eight against) on August 8, and will now take the voice of the athletes to the core of the IOC’s decision-making body.He realises that the new position comes with a lot of responsibilities.”I am now at the heart of the IOC executive board.It is a nice honour,” he said.Nampa
