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Home / Namibian sport is beset with various malignancies
Namibian sport is beset with various malignancies
2017-01-27Staff Report 2 Namibian sport is gravely rotten to the core and needs to be thoroughly investigated if the latest revelations about hefty sitting allowances for board members at the Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Commission (NPBWCB) is anything to go by. Needless to point out that it goes beyond conventional wisdom for the appointed board members to conveniently circumvent what logical thinking would suggest by claiming exorbitant sitting allowances on the basis of their misplaced beliefs that they deserve a reasonable fee, nogal. This is ostensibly because they are, in their own words, much sought-after commodities in their chosen professions, notwithstanding the fact they are serving a non-profitable institution. It’s idiotic to think they can comfortably and unnoticeably just wangle their way past a meaningless incoherently advanced clause in the act stating board members are entitled to a reasonable fee as sitting allowance without putting a cap on the maximum fee. So, my learned colleagues at Metje House saw it fit to hand themselves unbelievable sitting allowances, N$20,000 per each member on a monthly basis to be precise. Please don’t ask me how many meetings were held in a month and what the agenda was, let alone where those minutes are holed up. This entire practice stinks of hypocrisy and defies any form of good corporate governance, or else how does one explain a situation where occupants are given carte blanche to determine their remuneration, which amounts to a total conflict of interest!!. Within a relatively short period of three months, the men in blue suits at Metje House have pocketed a handsome amount of N$55,000 each apart from receiving N$3,500 for showing up at international boxing bouts in the comfort of the VIP booth. To rub salt in the wound, these blokes are deliberately violating their own rules and regulations by appointing themselves as supervisors for august events at the expense of retired boxers or other deserving candidates. Now, the fundamental question that needs to be raised is whether such a practice does not constitute a blatant conflict of interest should a dispute arise? Surely, the complainant in this case should be the supervisor whilst the dispute must be lodged with the Boxing Commission where the same members are to resurface as arbitrators! I’m just asking. Moolah should not be a yardstick for national team selection. Whilst yours truly has the greatest of sympathies for the seemingly permanently cash-strapped Netball Namibia (NN) – one finds it extremely difficult to digest the naked truth that the deep pockets of well-to-do parents are now being used as a suitable criteria for national team selection. Namibia is to send an under-17 netball team to neigbouring South Africa but alas, gifted athletes are now grounded because their parents are unable to meet the required amount for travelling, accommodation and meals expenses - thus paving the way for those whose parents can afford it. This is totally unacceptable where athletes are now freely allowed to purchase places in national teams just because their parents are well off. Sports authorities are obliged by the oath of this nation not to turn a blind eye to such discriminatory practices and find solutions to stop the rot. If there are no sufficient funds, under-strength national teams should under no circumstances be allowed to represent the nation, be it at provincial, continental or international level. Period!!. NFA must get serious Did I hear the Namibia Football Association (NFA) announce that it has opened the transfer window for January? For heaven’s sake!! Have these blokes taken leave of their senses or how did they apply their minds to come up with such nonsensical stuff? Seriously, people should stop pretending or rather going on as if things are normal in domestic football. It’s a well-documented secret that our football is in a sorry state of affairs with no league activities in motion. Now, in the absence of league activities, which sober-minded football teams will register players and for what purpose? Without beating about the bush, let’s call a spade a spade and not a large spoon - football authorities must get their ducks in the row and start doing things by the book. I rest my case. 2017-01-27Staff Report 2
