NFA to meet Stars over NBC ban

The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has come under fire for taking the unusual step to not air African Stars activities.

The controversial move started with a blanket blackout on all NBC platforms of Stars’ recent Debmarine Namibia Premiership home match against Eeshoke Chula Chula at the Dr Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek.

Stars’ subsequent result against Mighty Gunners were also omitted from NBC’s top flight football round-up, while the state broadcaster also does not display Stars on their log standings.

When contacted for comment, the NBC public relations’ division directed Desert Radio to forward the query to the Namibia Football Association (NFA), which runs the league.

NFA interim general secretary Jochen Traut said he will call a meeting with the club management this week.

“We are certainly going to have an urgent meeting with African Stars FC management. That matter must be addressed because the Dr Hage Geingob Cup is coming up and it will be wrong not to broadcast it live,” Traut said.

In a recent interview with Desert Radio, African Stars FC executive director Salomo Hei said they too are perplexed by the development.

“I do not understand the position that they have taken, I cannot speak at this stage,” Hei said.

“We also don’t know how the Dr Hage Geingob Cup will be treated but there is a pending meeting with the national broadcaster management. At the end of day, it will be both listeners and viewers who are deprived of news and other information.”

A displeased African Stars supporter, who prefers not to be named said: “I fail to understand why there was no update on the African Stars FC and Eeshoke Chula Chula FC match on radio or television during that specific weekend. To make matters worse, during the Debmarine Premiership log standing, the radio presenter omitted African Stars FC on the log standing, which was extremely unprofessional.”

As defending premiership champions, African Stars are due to take part in the Dr Hage Geingob Cup on 4 November. However, their opponent will be determined through votes cast by the public.

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