The chairperson of the Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (NPBWC), Magreth Mengo yesterday said the board is hard at work in reviewing the current Boxing and Wrestling Control Act 11 of 1980. Very soon, a new draft of the act will thus be shared with all stakeholders for input.
Mengo told New Era Sport that they are currently sitting with the draft Act left behind by the previous board, and the plan is to now incorporate various components of the outdated Act and those of the draft in order to come up with one solid document that will then be submitted to the line minster.
“At the onset, allow me to acknowledge and thank the previous board for their input in the current draft. The board is currently seized with the revision of the Act. Part of our process is that we are going to call stakeholders’ meetings to review the Act before we submit it to the line ministry for Cabinet submission. We want all the stakeholders to own the final document,” she stated.
The current outdated Boxing Act, which was enacted in 1980 during apartheid South West Africa, prohibits women from partaking in boxing and makes no provision for the development of female boxers at all levels. The current Act is also out of tune with the ever-changing dynamics of modern-day boxing.
Various boxing pundits have over the years been calling for the immediate amendment of the current Act, saying it is inhumane and undemocratic for women to be denied sporting opportunities in an independent Namibia.
Upon taking over as chairperson, Mengo said one of their key priorities was to work on the current Act in order to ensure that it speaks to the aspirations of all Namibians.
Mengo was appointed chairperson of the boxing board this year, along with doctor Sebastian Shituleni, lawyer Veruschka de la Harpe, financial expert Irene Shebo, as well as retired veteran boxer Jason Naule. Their term of office runs for three years.
-mkambukwe@nepc.com.na