Mutorwa urges Athletics Namibia to speedily resolve its problems

MINISTER of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture John Mutorwa has urged the Athletics Namibia (AN) leadership and members to convene a special congress to solve its ongoing problems.

Mutorwa was speaking during a meeting with the AN leadership at his office on Thursday. The minister called the meeting in view of numerous media reports and letters of complaint, many of them from athletes and their managers, about the poor state of athletics in Namibia.”There is a big problem, in how you as AN, collectively or individually, as leaders are directing and managing the affairs of athletics in our country,” he said.Mutorwa implored AN to address the leadership crisis as soon as possible, but preferably after the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia next month.Mutorwa added that neither his ministry nor the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) wanted to take over the running of athletics, as that was the job of the elected leadership of AN.He warned, however, that AN could be struck off as a registered sport code in terms of the Sports Act if they didn’t conduct their affairs in the interest of the public.”We have not reached that stage yet to invoke the provisions of the said Act,” the minister said.Meanwhile, Nampa has reliably learnt that four regions are in consultations to call for a special congress.Among the problems that these regions have experienced with the AN leadership is a lack of transparency and communication.The regions also complained about the manner in which appointments to executive positions in AN were handled.Three positions of additional members of AN still need to be filled.AN did not have a congress in 2005, and no reason was communicated to the regions.Another bone of contention is the expulsion of Khomas Athletics Region chairperson Quinton-Steele Botes from all athletics activities.Botes was never brought before a disciplinary hearing at which his expulsion should have been dealt with.In the meantime, some athletes have vowed to stay away from the track until a lasting solution to AN’s leadership crisis is found.- NampaThe minister called the meeting in view of numerous media reports and letters of complaint, many of them from athletes and their managers, about the poor state of athletics in Namibia.”There is a big problem, in how you as AN, collectively or individually, as leaders are directing and managing the affairs of athletics in our country,” he said.Mutorwa implored AN to address the leadership crisis as soon as possible, but preferably after the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia next month.Mutorwa added that neither his ministry nor the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) wanted to take over the running of athletics, as that was the job of the elected leadership of AN.He warned, however, that AN could be struck off as a registered sport code in terms of the Sports Act if they didn’t conduct their affairs in the interest of the public.”We have not reached that stage yet to invoke the provisions of the said Act,” the minister said.Meanwhile, Nampa has reliably learnt that four regions are in consultations to call for a special congress.Among the problems that these regions have experienced with the AN leadership is a lack of transparency and communication.The regions also complained about the manner in which appointments to executive positions in AN were handled.Three positions of additional members of AN still need to be filled.AN did not have a congress in 2005, and no reason was communicated to the regions.Another bone of contention is the expulsion of Khomas Athletics Region chairperson Quinton-Steele Botes from all athletics activities.Botes was never brought before a disciplinary hearing at which his expulsion should have been dealt with.In the meantime, some athletes have vowed to stay away from the track until a lasting solution to AN’s leadership crisis is found.- Nampa