THE recent senseless shooting that led to the cold-blooded killing of Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa, has prompted yours truly to move a bit along the continuum of sporting vulnerability.
Moolah and fame has placed athletes and more importantly, footballers at high risk in their social lives and manouvers.
It took me back to our own cases that happened right in front of our eyes not so long ago if one carefully considers the mysterious circumstances in which some of our own promising footballers have lost their precious lives while still at the pinnacle of their football careers.
Teenage Iyambo, Victor Helu, Richard Ventura, Lucas ‘Shoes’ Orr, Pekara Kaaheke, Jabulani Mpuka, Harry Ndandu, Patrick Jaegger and Tebs Muriua.
These are just some of the well-known identities that spring to mind when one thinks of former footballers that have tragically perished under an assortment of mysterious conditions at the hands of itchy gun-totting and knife-welding thugs.
Athletes are vulnerable and need protection like any other high-ranking public figures such as politicians, judges and business moguls. Logic calls for swift action to introduce preventative measures rather than have reactionary ones in place if we are to bring an end to this senseless barbarism, so prevalent in our black communities.
Without beating about the bush, its a well-documented secret that famous athletes have developed a nasty habit of sowing wild oats but again this collective responsibility of keeping them on the straight and narrow lies with us as elders because we are somehow unintentionally giving these hot-heads a long rope.
Moolah, fame and motjies have the combined potential to leave emerging athletes totally vulnerable with a significant chunk of them caught between the devil and the deep sea.
In the modern life of fast cars, bright lights, beautiful lasses and bottomless pit stacked with currency, every small mistake could lead to one’s rapid departure from the game of life. Sadly, those who live dangerously and reckless or gung-ho, die before they could pass their genes to the next generation.
The most effective way of knocking valuable sense into the thick heads of famous athletes is to aggressively advocate awareness about the dangers of skating on thin ice.
It should be well consumed that the fear of losing something motivates people more than the prospect of gaining something of equal value. Fame and hard cash has falsely elevated young athletes to the Cock of the walk in society.
As celebrities and socialites, sports personalities are expected to behave in a certain way while their movement and public engagement also remain under strict scrutiny. Athletes are obliged to avoid frequenting gatherings where their lives are at risk.
Job for the Boys – Keep it in the family
The resolution by the country’s football governing body, NFA to restrict entries into the association’s portfolio just for their trusted allies (members and affiliates) only, is off side and extremely undemocratic, to say the least.
Such ill-advised rules and bylaws will come back to haunt football authorities with dire repercussions in the long run – it’s very much against the spirit of “Fair Play”.
Dear readers please pardon me, what is noteworthy here is that such a practice can lead to social loafing with those elected into crucial positions likely to slack off mentally.
It will weaken people’s individual participation while minimising their level of competence. Subjects will start cruising in the comfort zone while remaining inertia.
My learned colleagues, be bold and open the process for each and every confirmed son/daughter of this soil to context the NFA Elections unconditionally.
Petrus Damaseb, is a case in point, the brother came from nowhere and yet managed against all odds to achieve what pundits thought would be the unthinkable and changed the face of Namibian football – thus laying a sound foundation for his successors.
The bottom line is; NFA is a public institution and not a close corporation (cc) to introduce tailor made rules, aimed at keeping potential candidates at arms-length thus denying them to exercise their basic right to contest elections. I rest my case.
Carlos “CK” Kambaekwa