Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) has requested Rugby Africa to postpone the Gold Cup Pool A tournament to November, as a result of the ban on contact sports in Namibia from 1 to 30 June 2021.

Namibia was set to host the event between 1-12 July. However, the ban on contact sports includes all training activities. A statement by the NRU Friday said for the tournament to be kept in Windhoek, Rugby Africa requested a guarantee that the ban will be lifted on 1 July 2021. “Neither the NRU nor the Namibian government, as expressed by themselves, are in a position to issue such a guarantee. As a result of the above-mentioned, the NRU has requested the Exco of Rugby Africa to postpone the tournament to the fall-back date in November 2021, with Namibia still as the
host,” reads the statement.

Namibia is also scheduled to send its U/20 team to Kenya to compete in the upcoming Rugby Africa Barthes Trophy from 24 June to 3 July, as well as host the historic match between the Namibian national women’s team against Zambia in June.

The NRU further said
after two consultations with sports minister Agnes Tjongarero, she informed the union that no exception can be made to a specific sport code and that government regulations issued on 28 May 2021 will remain in place
until 30 June 2021.

The purpose of the meetings was to inform the minister about the consequences for rugby in Namibia as a result of the ban and to look at possible solutions for this crisis. mkambukwe@nepc.com.na