IF footballers do not play over the next 30 days, they will not be paid, says Namibia Football Association league director Mabos Vries.
That effectively means most players will go back to roaming the streets again due to the recent stringent Covid-19 restrictions, he lamented. Although they operate in a non-lucrative amateur setting, the majority of players in Namibia do not have other employment outside of football.
Government on Friday banned contact sports for 30 days but other sporting events are still allowed.
“I understand that the government is doing what it feels is best for the nation, but we are facing a very big problem with football. A month off will totally disrupt our plans,” Vries told The Namibian Sport yesterday.
The blow comes not long after hope had been re-ignited in the country’s damned game following over two years of dormancy brought about by administrative power struggles, and latterly the coronavirus pandemic.
A feel good factor finally enveloped the football fraternity after the domestic game was re-activated in April through an intermediary season which was to run until the end of July.
After the long lay-off, the transitional campaign was designed to ease suffering players into competitive action and earn some money while at it.
But a return to default settings has brought the gloomy outlook back again.
“With regard to the top tier league, we are talking about 400 people losing their jobs because unfortunately no football means no pay.
“Clubs cannot bear additional costs, because any extension means extra costs,” Vries explained.
Ironically, there have been no positive Covid-19 cases reported in football since action resumed in nearly two months ago.
During that period, the MTC NFA Cup has completed two rounds of action; the Namibia Premier Football League is now at the penultimate stage; and the Southern Stream First Division is also two match days old.
“We have been adhering to the national guidelines and have implemented extra measures to combat Covid-19,” said Vries.
“We are engaging the Sports Commission to see if we can find an alternative to allow football to continue.”
Similarly, NFA secretary general Franco Cosmos said the new restrictions may force the Brave Warriors to miss out on the Cosafa Cup in early July.
“We should be starting preparations for the Cosafa Cup, but with the new regulations, we can’t hold a camp. We have written to Cosafa and other relevant authorities to inform them of the situation in the country,” Cosmos said.
“We will wait for what they [Cosafa] have to say. It does not look good for us at the moment.”
He added that the new full domestic football season will have to be deferred from July to September or October.
“We had plans in place, but these things are beyond us. Our rules or plans can’t supersede those of the government. Yes we were not consulted to see if we can find a way for our activities to exist within the regulations but it is out of our hands,” Cosmos said.
