WINDHOEK – The Secretary-General of the Namibia Football Association (NFA), Barry Rukoro says the association is well prepared to implement all necessary measures to ensure the CAF African Women’s Championship goes ahead as planned, following the outbreak of the Ebola virus in various west African countries.
In 2011, Namibia was awarded the hosting rights of the women’s championship, scheduled for 11–25 October this year, which serves as qualification for African countries to next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.
However, the tourney’s hype has somehow been overshadowed by the outburst of Ebola, which has also seen the likes of Sierra Leon, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria, being suspended from all football related activities to avoid further spreading of the deadly virus.
Ebola has spread rapidly in various West African nations – leaving thousands of people dead, while fresh cases of the epidemic are still being reported in Nigeria, one of the countries scheduled to participate in the championships to be hosted by Namibia.
In the midst of all this disaster, Rukoro remains unfazed and insists Namibia will be more than ready to host a successful event. This will be made possible with collective efforts from the NFA, the line Ministry and various health experts.
“All member associations are fully aware of the Ebola scare. CAF is currently looking at all necessary measures to ensure that all continental tournaments run successfully as initially planned. We are aware that there has been serious cases of Ebola in various north African countries, but I’m sure should the situation become complicated, CAF will apply all measures for the greater good of football. ”
“We will work closely with government authorities to contain the disease because our medical experts in the Health Ministry are also on high alert,”
Standard Bank Super Cup now on 27 September.
In the meantime, the inaugural edition of the newly introduced annual Standard Bank Super Cup has shifted to the 27th of next month.
The match, to be played at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek, is featuring MTC Premiership champions Black Africa and the winner of the annual NFA Bidvest Cup champions African Stars but the latter’s participation is unclear following the club’s expulsion from all football related activities.
Stars have in the meantime challenged their suspension through the country’s football governing body, NFA, and should their suspension be upheld, Bidvest Cup losing finalists, Citizens FC would be the likely replacement.
Both the NFA and Standard Bank Namibia held a meeting yesterday to map out the way forward and subsequently rescheduled the tie that was initially slated for the 10th of this month but had to be halted as a result of the ongoing saga between football authorities and Stars.
The newly introduced initiative is a once-off match that sees the winners take home a sizeable amount of N$500 000 while the runner-up will pocket a consolation prize of N$200 000.