After she abruptly announced her withdrawal from Namibia’s Cosafa Cup squad and accused the Namibia Football Association (NFA) of ill-treatment, Brave Gladiators star player Zenatha Coleman has had a change of heart and mind, and will now be joining the women’s national side in South Africa. 

Coleman, who plies her trade professionally for Turkish giants Fenerbahçe S.K, on Saturday shocked all and sundry when she announced on her social media platforms that she had withdrawn from the country’s 2022 Cosafa Cup squad due to ill-treatment by the NFA. 

She complained that her ticket arrived late and that her travelling arrangements were organised in such a way that she should have to spend over eight hours in transit before reaching Nelson Mandela Bay, where this year’s Cosafa Cup will be taking place. 

Coleman, one of the experienced players in the current squad, on Saturday pointed out that it was not the first time she was being exposed to such treatment as two years ago she was also forced to deal with a similar situation. 

But speaking to this publication yesterday, NFA interim secretary general Jochen Traut shared that the situation has been resolved and Coleman would now be joining the rest of the squad ahead of their opening match against the Copper Queens of Zambia on Thursday.

“Coleman is on the flight to join the team in Port Elizabeth [Nelson Mandela Bay] and she also deleted her Facebook postings. So, she is still in the squad,” said Traut, who further explained that the issue of the late ticket and the eight hours in transit was simply caused by the unavailability of flights.

“… [the eight hours in transit] was the only way the travel agency could get flights due to limited flights or flights being fully booked. This has nothing to do with the NFA.”

Namibia is in Group B alongside Zambia, Lesotho and Eswatini, and will kick off their campaign with a clash against the Copper Queens of Zambia on Thursday in the 2022 edition of the regional showpiece slated for Nelson Mandela Bay from 31 August to 11 September.

Only the top team automatically qualifies for the semifinals, along with the best runner-up from the three pools. 

The Gladiators have made six previous appearances at the Cosafa Cup, first turning up in 2006, 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, but has never won the competition.

- ohembapu@nepc.com.na