WINDHOEK – Local telecommunications giant MTC, which is the headline sponsor of the controversy-ridden Namibia Premier League (NPL), yesterday wrote to both the league’s leadership and to the Fifa-appointed Normalisation Committee (NC), seeking clarity on the way forward for Namibian football.

In yesterday’s letter, which New Era Sport has also seen, MTC strongly expressed its concern with the persisting dogfight between the NPL and NC, saying it fears that the skirmish has the potential to cause reputational damage to the persona and marque of MTC as main sponsor of the country’s flagship football league.

“MTC would like to thank the Fifa Normalisation Committee for the work done to restore the dignity of Namibian football so far. As you may be aware, MTC has been the main sponsor of the NPL for the past 14 years and we are gravely concerned about the current status of the league, which should have commenced in September 2019. We are also concerned about the ongoing public disagreements between the Normalisation Committee and the NPL leadership and the negative effects it has on innocent players, who just wish to play football and provide for their families,” reads part of the letter, which was also sent to the NPL headship.

Concerned with potential reputational damage to their brand, MTC said: “As a leading sponsor of the league, we have decided to take the backseat in the hope that the leadership of football will amicably sort out their differences, but we can unfortunately not play spectator anymore while our brand suffers serious reputational damages. While we are aware that the Normalisation Committee has no obligation to reply to this letter, we will appreciate if you could give us your final position…”

In their communiqué, MTC wanted supreme clarity and a final standpoint on whether or not the NPL will start with 13 clubs; what the Normalisation Committee’s final position is on the issue of promotion and relegation and also on the status of Civics and Orlando Pirates.

They also asked who will be responsible for the funding of the First Division and whether such funding has already been secured, and also what are the potential consequences should the NPL leadership continue to defy their directive. 

“We will appreciate it if you could respond to this letter by Thursday, 3 October 2019. We wish to inform you that we have also written the same communication to the NPL CEO Harald Fuelle,” concludes the 
letter.