Chairperson of the country’s sports appeals committee Loini Shikale-Ambondo has written to both the Namibia Premier League (NPL) and the Namibia Football Association (NFA) as well as to the Namibia Sport Commission (NSC) to inform them that the appeal hearing is set for this Thursday.
Thursday’s hearing will look into the appeal launched by the expelled NPL, which is challenging the NSC’s decision not to grant them a licence to introduce and run a professional football league. The NPL is also concurrently seeking to have its expulsion overturned by the national appeals committee.
Late last year, the NSC informed the NPL that its application for a licence to operate a professional football league could not be granted because it does not meet the set requirements as per the provisions of the Sports Act 12 of 2003 (section 26) – and, therefore, recommended that the NPL, which is currently expelled by the NFA, should rather seek readmission to the NFA as opposed to going private with its league activities.
The NPL has since filed a notice of appeal with the country’s appeals committee, and the committee’s chairperson Shikale-Ambondo last week Thursday wrote to all three parties [NPL, NFA and NSC] to inform them that the appeal hearing has been set down for this Thursday, 18 February 2021. The NSC is cited as the third respondent in this matter.
In its appeal, the banished NPL is demanding that the NSC set aside its decision not to approve its application for a licence to run a professional league. The league is also of the opinion that the NSC’s decision was taken at an incongruously constituted meeting, nor was the decision taken by the NSC, as there is no reference of a letter confirming a meeting of the NSC at which the decision was taken.
The appeals committee was installed by sport minister Agnes Tjongarero last year August to help adjudicate local sport disputes. Lawyer Shikale-Ambondo last month took over as chairperson from fellow prominent lawyer Ruth Herunga, who resigned from the position early January.
– ohembapu@nepc.com.na