RECENT events in major local sport have prompted yours truly to take a deep breath before tackling the vexing and now habitual myopia of the local syndicate of capitalists, when it comes to getting priorities straight.
And yours truly can already hear them say, oh shucks there he goes again! But without beating about the bush, yours truly is not entirely convinced and refuses to fall for the lame excuse advanced by the hierarchy of the Namibian Rugby Union (NRU) and their newly found financial backers, Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) and First National Bank (FNB) of Namibia, during the unveiling of the dual sponsorship for the Welwitschias international warm-up matches against the visiting Bulls and Stormers of South Africa. While we should sincerely applaud the business fraternity for pumping huge sums of moolah into the coffers of financially crippled sports codes, we should also guard against being taken for palookas. It is an open secret that rugby is the most successful team sport code in Namibia, having qualified for the last four International Rugby Board (IRB) World Cup finals in succession. Notwithstanding this remarkable resume, the union has been struggling to solicit the required funds to get its house in order and to prepare a solid foundation for the future growth of the game here at home. The combined sponsorship from the NBL and FNB is a truly handsome figure and could have been spent much better by channeling it into the administration and prize monies of the various local rugby leagues or any other developmental structures instead of blowing it at one go through the hosting of two exhibition matches. This apparent altruistic gesture is just another form of manipulation and a well-orchestrated tactic by those who control the purse strings of our economy to flex their financial muscles.
This venture is a short-term investment and does not make any sense at all or else how does one really benefit the growth of the game in a mere 160 minutes of action. We are all fully aware that inviting the two provincial teams benefits a minority of rugby lovers in this country. No question about that! Both teams enjoy massive following among the elite, minority, something that must certainly culminate in a decent turnout at the turnstiles – leaving the union to smile all the way to the bank. Although judged by any fair standard it is still a pittance compared to what the visitors will take home. The exercise is nothing but just another financial spin, because the bulk of the sponsorship monies will resurface on the other side of the Orange River! The syndicate has always been cagey, when prompted to join forces with the NRU, always hiding behind the worn out myth that Namibian rugby is ungovernable with corrupt administrators and in dire need of a complete overhaul (read regime change of the Herrenvolkist variety).
There have been much more worse squabbles, and openly so, in other sporting disciplines in the past, ranging from their refusal to embrace the concepts of transformation, fairness, reconciliation and the like. In a very few cases we have even seen genuine converts to the national cause, while in others we have witnessed a faint spark of enlightened self-interest, but on the whole it has always been a bitter pill to swallow and an even harder concept to put into practice.
A bone to pick with football authorities
The drawn out disciplinary matter between the Namibia Premier League (NPL) and Katutura glamour football club African Stars has now reached fever pitch. It now remains to be seen how the NPL and its trusted cousin the NFA, will fare when tested, insofar as their credibility, fairness, transparency, impartiality, integrity and honesty is concerned. During each and every single launch at the start of league activities for a new season, yours truly has been posting the same questions over and over again. Yes, here I go again! How long will league authorities continue to administer the country’s flagship league in the conspicuous absence of a Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC), a basic prerequisite for any competition?
This burning issue could have been dealt with a long time ago if there was a credible DRC in place. As it stands, there are more questions than answers and one would like to hear from the horse’s mouth as to how on earth the Appeals Committee could dismiss a case purely on the basis of technicalities. In all my years of sports reporting, my recollection tells me that not a single football club that dared to challenge the many injustices so freely committed in domestic football has ever won a case, even if the aggrieved party had a strong argument. I rest my case.