Acting secretary general of the Namibia Football Association (NFA), Cassius Moetie, says discussions held with the Brave Gladiators, the women’s national football side, regarding outstanding payments remain strictly internal, following growing frustration among national women footballers who threatened to stage a demonstration over unpaid allowances for their Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers.
The meeting, held yesterday morning at Football House, came after players raised concerns about remuneration for the recent WAFCON qualifiers against Zambia.
Although Moetie confirmed that engagements took place, he declined to reveal the substance of the discussions.
“What we discussed and agreed on is an internal matter of the NFA, and I do not discuss NFApersonnel, NFAmatters, or our contractual undertakings with stakeholders in public. This is the clarity I am giving you. Trusting that you will find this in order,” he said when approached for comment.
However, a Brave Gladiators player who requested anonymity painted a different picture, saying the team has been left in limbo regarding payments owed to them. According to her, the dispute emerged when the association allegedly attempted to reduce match allowances. “For the WAFCON qualifiers against Zambia, they initially wanted to cut the remuneration to less than half per match. We objected, and eventually we agreed to stick with the original agreement. We were paid for one match, but N$9 000 per player is still outstanding,” she said. The second leg match was played in October.
The player further explained that communication from the team manager has been inconsistent, adding to the anxiety. “Our manager keeps saying there is no news from the NFA. The other day, she sent a message saying: ‘Nothing yet. All outstanding from January 2025 is first considered.’ That means we come last because we played on 26 October. It is unfair,” she said.
Fearing that time may run out before payments are processed, the players are increasingly worried. “We are scared the offices will close soon and it will come down to no money for us. The question is: doesn’t CAF or FIFA give money for women’s football? How is there no money for women if this competition was on the calendar and we qualified for the second round?” she asked.
She added that delayed payments are not new. “This is a trend. Even after beating Eswatini, we had to beg for our money after the first round, even though the contract stated that payment will be made seven days later,” she said.
In the same vein. The Brave Warriors, the senior men’s side, are also owed for the World Cup qualifier match against Tunisia, which was played in September, as well as the Comoros friendlies, which were played last month.
Another male player who wish not to be identified said they need the NFA to keep their promise of paying players on time. “We too are struggling,” he added.
-lmupetami@nepc.com.na