Sport is embarrassing

KINDLY allow me space in your newspaper to air my views about the management and the administration of sports in our country.

It is embarrassing as a Namibian national staying abroad to associate yourself with Namibian sports, especially soccer. The Government has done a great job by introducing the Sports Commission to administer sports in the country.But, to our disappointment, it seems nothing has changed so far.Soccer, “the national sport” enjoys preferential treatment, but it is the most disorganised and unregulated of all the sport codes.The NFA does not submit dates for national matches to Government, the media or anyone else.All they do is to wait for the Cosafa Cup and ask the Botswana football team for one friendly match.Cricket, on the other hand, is the most organised sport in the country – they publish their fixtures well in advance and they honour their commitments.When watching the national soccer team, one wonders what the national colours are.At AFCON 98, Namibia used more than three types of outfits.When you see an American athletics team in the Olympics, you would not ask which team is the USA.Their uniforms are nearly identical for all sport codes.If one does an Internet search for “Namibian Football Association”, it might take you more than ten minutes to find its website, and the information it has on the Namibian Premier League seems to be from three or four seasons ago.The website does not seem to belong to the NFA but to some Internet company.How will these people win matches without spending money? Senegal is not that rich compared to Namibia, but if you look at their website you find players’ IDs and profiles and the country’s achievements.It is embarrassing when your national team’s players can’t even be found on the Internet.How can big companies like Nike or Adidas sign Namibian sportsmen and women if Namibia is known only for Frankie Fredericks and Harry Simon? I hope the NFA is listening.Lennox Chibahwile Bangalore, India (Letter shortened.- Ed)The Government has done a great job by introducing the Sports Commission to administer sports in the country.But, to our disappointment, it seems nothing has changed so far.Soccer, “the national sport” enjoys preferential treatment, but it is the most disorganised and unregulated of all the sport codes.The NFA does not submit dates for national matches to Government, the media or anyone else.All they do is to wait for the Cosafa Cup and ask the Botswana football team for one friendly match.Cricket, on the other hand, is the most organised sport in the country – they publish their fixtures well in advance and they honour their commitments.When watching the national soccer team, one wonders what the national colours are.At AFCON 98, Namibia used more than three types of outfits.When you see an American athletics team in the Olympics, you would not ask which team is the USA.Their uniforms are nearly identical for all sport codes.If one does an Internet search for “Namibian Football Association”, it might take you more than ten minutes to find its website, and the information it has on the Namibian Premier League seems to be from three or four seasons ago.The website does not seem to belong to the NFA but to some Internet company.How will these people win matches without spending money? Senegal is not that rich compared to Namibia, but if you look at their website you find players’ IDs and profiles and the country’s achievements.It is embarrassing when your national team’s players can’t even be found on the Internet.How can big companies like Nike or Adidas sign Namibian sportsmen and women if Namibia is known only for Frankie Fredericks and Harry Simon? I hope the NFA is listening.Lennox Chibahwile Bangalore, India (Letter shortened.- Ed)