WINDHOEK – The Fifa-appointed Normalisation Committee for the Namibia Football association (NFA) has suspended the Namibia Premier League (NPL) for bringing football into disrepute. The suspension will remain until the next NFA Congress, or unless the NPL leadership complies with all NFA directives, which could possibly see the suspension being lifted.
Chairperson of the
Normalisation Committee, Hilda Basson-Namundjebo yesterday stated that the decision was taken at a Tuesday meeting where the committee resolved to suspend the NPL with effect, due to the premier league’s persistent and continued disregard and violation of various NFA directives. In yesterday’s statement, Basson-Namundjebo highlighted that the NPL’s suspension is being enforced under the NFA Statutes cited in Article 14.1, which reads; “The Executive Committee may, however, suspend a member or a member of a member that seriously violated its obligations as a member with immediate effect. The suspension shall last until the next Congress, unless the Executive Committee has lifted it in the meantime.”
The NFA Manual on Rules and Regulations further reiterates that according to Rule 3 of the NFA under 3.1.1 that reads; “The Premier League will consist of 16 or any other number of clubs as decided by the NFA Executive. The directive was highlighted in a letter dated 27 June 2019 in referring to Article 9 (Principle of promotion and relegation) of the regulation governing the application of the Fifa statutes which highlights the need for “sporting merit” when determining a club’s participation to a league as far as it relates to the promotion and relegation of clubs. This must be the guiding principle,” Basson-Namundjebo further explained.
She added that; “Again, Fifa on 21 August 2019, in a letter from the Deputy Secretary General of Administration reminded that ignoring decisions from the NFA would leave the NPL vulnerable to potential sanctions as foreseen in Article 13 paragraph. 2 of the NFA Statutes. These articles state that members must comply fully with statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of Fifa, CAF, Cosafa and the NFA at all times and to ensure that these are respected by its members.” The NPL is duly notified that as a consequence of this suspension, its membership rights are lost as stipulated by Article 14.3 and that as a consequence are to have no sporting contact with any NFA members. Efforts to get comment from NPL chairperson Patrick Kauta proved futile as he promised to call this reporter back, but did not deliver on his promise at the time of going to print.