Mutorwa not happy with few athletes to Olympics

BASIC Education, Sport and Culture Minister John Mutorwa said he was not happy with the low number of Namibian athletes who are due to participate at the 2004 Olympic Games, to be held in Greece in August.

The team leaves on August 3. Namibia will send six athletes to Greece, Athens for this year, compared to 12 participants who went to the Sydney Games in 2002.Mutorwa said he was disappointed as Namibia is supposed to make progress in regard to athletes getting to international competitions, more especially the Olympic Games.”The numbers of qualifying to the Games are shrinking and this is not good.The managers and athletes should work harder to meet the standards,” he said at the announcement of the team on Tuesday.However, Mutorwa added that quantity can also not be compromised for quality.The Minister also took a swipe at officials who fail to take the interest of the athletes at heart despite them (athletes) putting in so much work to qualify.”The officials sometimes spoil everything.The officials should not feel more important than the athletes, but there should be good co-operation among themselves, while going to Athens should also not be regarded as a holiday by officials and athletes, he said.He further said even if the athletes lose on the sports fields, they also win in many other ways off the field.”They win in terms of good off the field behavior, and this is one of the key elements of good sportsmanship.You should be good ambassadors in terms of promoting the name of Namibia,” Mutorwa said.The athletes are:Athletics: Frank Fredericks; Agnes Samaria.Boxing: Paulus Ambunda.Cycling: Mannie Heymans.Shooting: Friedhelm Sack.Wrestling: Nico JacobsGeneral Team Management: Chef de Mission: Oupapa Shipanga,General Team Manager: Popyeni Shikwambi.Boxing Official: Jacob Gariseb.Shooting Official: Andre Malherbe.Wrestling Official: Mitch Ostberg.Physiotherapist: Annamey van der Merwe.Administrator: Marita Ernsting.Technical Staff: Quinton-Steele Botes.Youth Participants:Bertus Louw and Mara-Lee DoisebNamibia will send six athletes to Greece, Athens for this year, compared to 12 participants who went to the Sydney Games in 2002.Mutorwa said he was disappointed as Namibia is supposed to make progress in regard to athletes getting to international competitions, more especially the Olympic Games.”The numbers of qualifying to the Games are shrinking and this is not good.The managers and athletes should work harder to meet the standards,” he said at the announcement of the team on Tuesday.However, Mutorwa added that quantity can also not be compromised for quality.The Minister also took a swipe at officials who fail to take the interest of the athletes at heart despite them (athletes) putting in so much work to qualify.”The officials sometimes spoil everything.The officials should not feel more important than the athletes, but there should be good co-operation among themselves, while going to Athens should also not be regarded as a holiday by officials and athletes, he said.He further said even if the athletes lose on the sports fields, they also win in many other ways off the field.”They win in terms of good off the field behavior, and this is one of the key elements of good sportsmanship.You should be good ambassadors in terms of promoting the name of Namibia,” Mutorwa said.The athletes are:Athletics: Frank Fredericks; Agnes Samaria.Boxing: Paulus Ambunda.Cycling: Mannie Heymans.Shooting: Friedhelm Sack.Wrestling: Nico JacobsGeneral Team Management: Chef de Mission: Oupapa Shipanga,General Team Manager: Popyeni Shikwambi.Boxing Official: Jacob Gariseb.Shooting Official: Andre Malherbe.Wrestling Official: Mitch Ostberg.Physiotherapist: Annamey van der Merwe.Administrator: Marita Ernsting.Technical Staff: Quinton-Steele Botes.Youth Participants:Bertus Louw and Mara-Lee Doiseb