Golden Bees regain premiership status

GOLDEN Bees will play in the Namibia Premier League (NPL) next season after claims that they falsified results in an attempt to gain promotion from the Northern Stream First Division were thrown out.

The Namibia Football Association’s (NFA) Disciplinary Committee coordinator,Barry Rukoro, confirmed to The Namibian Sport yesterday that the Outjo-based club had been declared the legitimate winners of the division and would be promoted to the premiership. They join Friends – the winners of the Southern Stream First Division – to make it 12 clubs in total, after the relegation of Chief Santos and Touch & Go from the elite league last season.Rukoro said the result of the match submitted to the league coordinator had indeed been tampered with, but Golden Bees were not at fault as they had admitted that they never won the match against Robber Chanties.Interestingly, Rukoro said even if Golden Bees had lost the match against Robber Chanties, they could have gained promotion as they already led second-placed Mighty Gunners with two points.Earlier, Mighty Gunners claimed that they could have gained promotion if Golden Bees had lost to Robber Chanties.Rukoro insisted that it was never the case and that Golden Bees led with two points before going into the match, already making them the winners of the division despite the loss.He said the case was now closed and Golden Bees were not found guilty of any wrongdoing.Golden Bees were relegated the season before last and virtually dominated the first division, with Mighty Gunners their only threat in their campaign to fight for promotion.In fact, Golden Bees seemed to have gained promotion long before Saturday’s verdict, as they were awarded the prize for finishing first at the NFA prize-giving award in July.According to NPL administrator Tovey //Hoebeb, the premier league will start on November 11, with a break for the December holidays before resuming early next year.* Meanwhile, nominations for the NFA presidency are supposed to be made by October 16, with the race for the hot seat so far being between Hendrik Dawids and NFA acting president John Muinjo.Dawids is the owner of Blue Waters Football Club and has for long harboured ambitions of becoming the president of the association.Muinjo has an advantage over his opponent, as he has been serving the association as vice president for more than eight years.Sources say both men have travelled extensively to lobby support ahead of the congress, which is scheduled for October 28 in Windhoek.They join Friends – the winners of the Southern Stream First Division – to make it 12 clubs in total, after the relegation of Chief Santos and Touch & Go from the elite league last season.Rukoro said the result of the match submitted to the league coordinator had indeed been tampered with, but Golden Bees were not at fault as they had admitted that they never won the match against Robber Chanties.Interestingly, Rukoro said even if Golden Bees had lost the match against Robber Chanties, they could have gained promotion as they already led second-placed Mighty Gunners with two points.Earlier, Mighty Gunners claimed that they could have gained promotion if Golden Bees had lost to Robber Chanties.Rukoro insisted that it was never the case and that Golden Bees led with two points before going into the match, already making them the winners of the division despite the loss.He said the case was now closed and Golden Bees were not found guilty of any wrongdoing.Golden Bees were relegated the season before last and virtually dominated the first division, with Mighty Gunners their only threat in their campaign to fight for promotion.In fact, Golden Bees seemed to have gained promotion long before Saturday’s verdict, as they were awarded the prize for finishing first at the NFA prize-giving award in July.According to NPL administrator Tovey //Hoebeb, the premier league will start on November 11, with a break for the December holidays before resuming early next year.* Meanwhile, nominations for the NFA presidency are supposed to be made by October 16, with the race for the hot seat so far being between Hendrik Dawids and NFA acting president John Muinjo.Dawids is the owner of Blue Waters Football Club and has for long harboured ambitions of becoming the president of the association.Muinjo has an advantage over his opponent, as he has been serving the association as vice president for more than eight years.Sources say both men have travelled extensively to lobby support ahead of the congress, which is scheduled for October 28 in Windhoek.