Sports Indaba to chart way forward

NAMIBIA’S poor run at last year’s Commonwealth Youth Games and the Olympic Games has necessitated the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) to schedule a Sports Indaba for early April 2009.

NSC Chief Administrator Rusten Mogane told Nampa that after analysing the two reports handed to the NSC by the Chefs de Mission of the Namibian teams to the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India, and the Olympic Games in Beijing, China, the NSC had no option but to organise an indaba.
This will chart the way forward in preparation of upcoming international sporting events.
‘We felt it is necessary to look at our performances at those events, looking at the weaknesses and strengths of our athletes and sports administrators,’ said Mogane.
He said participating in the sports indaba will be sports administrators, athletes, sponsors and coaches who must come up with a ‘road map’ that will guide and harmonise the developmental programmes of the various sporting bodies.
He said the time of Namibia just participating at regional, continental and world sporting events is something of the past as now it’s time to compete and bring home medals.
Namibia is gearing up for the 2010 Olympic Youth Games and the Commonwealth Youth Games, while in 2011 the country must have athletes at the All-Africa Games and the Olympic Games in 2012 in London, United Kingdom (UK).
He said it is imperative for Namibia to start focusing on the above- mentioned sporting events, and not to procrastinate.
According to Mogane, the venue and the date have yet to be confirmed.
He expressed satisfaction with the under-20 national soccer team which came second overall at the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) Zone Six Under-20 Youth Games held in Potchefstroom, South Africa late last year.
In 2008, former sprinter Frank Fredericks suggested when asked about Namibia’s performance at the Olympic Games that the only way to remedy the situation is to have a Sports Indaba.
Meanwhile, Zambia, who were to host the 2010 All Africa Games, withdrew in December.
According to Mogane, the SCSA Ministers of Sport have to determine a new host for the All Africa Games. – Nampa