NDSF needs funding for Deaflympics 

The Namibia Deaf Sport Federation (NDSF) requires N$800 000 to realise its dream of making a historic maiden appearance at the Deaflympics, scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan, from 15 to 26 November.

The event will mark the 100th anniversary of the Deaflympics, first held in 1924.

NDSF president Abner Sheya says the team has been working tirelessly in preparation of their debut at the championships, but continues to face financial challenges.

“This is the first time the Namibia Deaf Sport Federation will send a team of athletes to compete in the Deaflympic Games. The team is motivated and ready, but they have not been able to conduct a full training camp due to a lack of funds.

“Only a few athletes have received limited support to attend high-performance centres, while most have been training locally with minimal resources,” he says.

Sheya says Namibia’s participation in the Deaflympics will be a historic milestone for both the federation and the athletes.

“It represents national pride, inclusion, and the recognition of deaf athletes on the international stage. It also opens doors for growth, experience, and future participation in global competitions,” he says.

Sheya says while the federation has received some financial assistance from the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture and NamPower, it is not enough to cover all their expenses.

“The team still requires approximately N$800 000 to cover outstanding costs for the trip to Japan. The NDSF has approached the ministry for further assistance, but we have not received a response yet,” he says, appealing to corporate Namibia and other stakeholders to help make the trip possible.

Sport director Jo-Ann Manuel says the government has already provided financial assistance to the federation and is currently not in a position to offer further support.

“Given the current circumstances, it is difficult to assist sport codes that do not have a vault as we simply do not have sufficient funds available. We have already provided funding for the trip and as things stand, we are unable to offer any additional support.

“The limited resources we have must be shared among the 43 sport codes without a vault, and we have until March 2026 to distribute these funds fairly,” she says.

Manuel says the federation should approach the private sector for additional support.

Sheya says the NDSF will have athletes competing in two sporting codes, athletics and judo, but adds that this ambition can only be realised with adequate resources.

“A total of 10 athletes have been selected. They have been training individually within their respective regions under difficult conditions due to limited resources and the absence of a central training camp.

“As this is the first time Namibia’s deaf athletes will participate in the Deaflympics, we are calling on corporate partners and the executive director of sport to support this historic journey,” he says.

The Namibian team will be coached by Peter Uushona, Erasmus Shindodi and Lina Kanana.

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