WINDHOEK – The much-anticipated annual football spectacle, the Dr Hage Geingob Cup, a precursor to the country’s elite football kick off has been thrown in turmoil.

This is after the MTC Premiership (NPL) Executive resolved to reject an invitation from the country’s football governing body, the Namibia Football Association (NFA) to release players for the one-day football bonanza.

New Era Sport is in possession of written communication between the two parties wherein the league informed the football presiding organ that it will not release players for the Brave Warriors’ eagerly awaited exhibition match against the visiting Black Stars of Ghana slated for the  24th of next month at the Sam Nujoma stadium in Windhoek.

However, in what many football followers interpret as payback time, the league at its Executive Committee Meeting held on the 9th of this month resolved that it would no longer sanction its affiliates to partake in any events sponsored by the Namibian Breweries Limited (NBL).

“The jurisdiction of NPL is that it will not allow itself to be used in promoting a brand that pays lip service to the overall development of the game,’’ reads the statement verbatim.

To add fuel to the strained relationship, NPL also resolved to ban with immediate effect all NBL products at their matches or any other events under its banner.

NBL has also come under heavy criticism after the company decided to pump loads of money into the South African Provincial Griqua Rugby Union while the national senior rugby team is struggling to make ends meet without a proper headline sponsor.

“There is an old saying that charity begins at home, how does one explain a local company being comfortable in sponsoring outsiders while the locals are in dire need of financial assistance. As this is not enough, they (NBL) also saw it fit to sponsor the Zambian rugby team – now you tell me where does your loyalty lies,” charged an irate rugby official who requested his identity be withheld for fear of reprisal.