Uis Warriors FC have announced that they will not honour their upcoming Erongo Regional Football League (ERFL) fixture against Karibib FC scheduled for 7 June, citing what they describe as a long-standing failure by league administrators to address concerns affecting the club, players and match officials.
In a letter addressed to the Erongo Regional Football Association (Erfa) executive committee, the club says it has repeatedly raised concerns with the regional football leadership but has received little to no response.
The club informs Erfa that it is prepared to forfeit the match and allow the three points to be awarded to Karibib FC if deemed necessary by the league.
According to the letter signed by club chairman Owen Beukes, one of the club’s primary concerns is the condition of the playing field at Uis, which it claims falls below the standard required for league football and poses a risk to player safety.
The club alleges that several players have sustained injuries due to the condition of the field and that repeated complaints have not resulted in corrective action.
Uis Warriors also claim that club officials have been subjected to intimidation and hostility from certain individuals at the town since taking over the team.
The club says these incidents were reported to the regional football leadership, including the chairman, but no intervention followed.
The letter also raises concerns about the condition of roads leading to the venue, which the club says has caused damage to vehicles travelling to and from matches, resulting in additional financial and safety burdens.
In addition, the club notes that several players are students at the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology and are currently preparing for examinations, reducing the number of players available for selection this weekend.
Despite these challenges, the club says its greatest disappointment is what it describes as the ERFL executive committee’s lack of communication regarding concerns raised over an extended period.
“We have made every effort to engage constructively and seek solutions, yet our correspondence has largely gone unanswered,” the club states in the letter.
However, ERFL chairperson Wilheim Festius yesterday told The Namibian Sport that the association had not received the emails referred to in the club’s statement.
“We didn’t receive any emails,” he said.
Asked about the club’s claim that it had sent numerous communications to the association, the chairperson maintained that Erfa had not received any such correspondence and questioned why the matter had not been communicated directly.
“We didn’t receive anything. But I will follow it up to see if they sent something,” he said.
The chairperson indicated that he would investigate the matter further before providing a more detailed response.
Should Uis Warriors fail to honour the fixture, Karibib FC could be awarded the points in accordance with league regulations.
