A quick glance at the ongoing shenanigans within domestic football leaves yours truly no other choice but to call the NFA to order.
One cannot sit on the fence and pretend as if things are running smoothly, while it is obvious to every school child that not everything is hunky dory. As a scribe, it’s my absolute duty and obligation to ensure that authority is not abused or used in an arbitrary manner and, most of all, that it is not injurious to the public interest. Regrettably, this is precisely what is happening in many of our sports structures, where the dangers of authority bias are all too evident. In the old days, an airline captain used to be the king and his commands were not to be questioned, even if the co-pilot suspected an oversight he wouldn’t have dared to address it out of respect or fear of the captain. This culture appears to have insinuated itself into Namibian football where open discussion with members who express reservations on certain issues is discouraged. It’s about time for all stakeholders to join hands and to de-programme this authority bias that’s so prevalent in our football. Namibian football is light years from this sort of enlightened thinking and foresight and remains at the mercy of authoritarian officials, while the rest cower in fear of displeasing the demi-gods of local football. This does not augur well for the future of the beautiful game in our republic. Yours truly has reliably learned through the grapevine that the Namibian Football Association (NFA) has appointed a Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for next year’s CAF Africa Women’s Championships to be staged on Namibian soil for the very first time.
Obviously, it’s not my business to dictate to the football hierarchy as to who they should appoint or not, but alas, in the absence of openness and transparent and free discourse, one has no choice but to fear the worst. Word has it that some self-appointed officials, including staffers of the NFA have been burning the midnight oil, while they were secretly being taken through the ropes in the area of organizing events of such magnitude by way of a workshop, fully funded by the world’s football governing body, Fifa. In the developed nations, experts and people with experience and sound credentials on a wide range of issues are usually recruited on a voluntary basis to lead LOCs. We need blokes who are fully conversant with the laws of the game, match fixing, contracts, broadcast rights and the likes. Organising such an event is not a walk in the park and ultimately our reputation as a nation hinges on how we manage this humongous task. We will be well advised to take a leaf out of the book of our neighbours, South Africa, who successfully hosted the 2010 World Cup, after assembling a formidable team led by Dannie Jordaan and recently the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) under the stewardship of well respected sports administrator, Mvuso Mbebe.
This global practice is essential not only for success and transparency, but more importantly for accountability. To whom will this clandestinely selected LOC consisting of ingénues report and be accountable to? Fifa courses and workshops should not only benefit close friends and the golden circle of the privileged, as well as individuals well connected to Football House, they must be inclusive and be accessible to all aspirant football administrators. Yours truly sincerely hopes and trusts that what is said to be going on behind the curtains or perhaps more aptly, what is happening under the cover of darkness at Football House is a mere rumour or a sad mistake and that the hierarchy will show maturity and keep an open mind and take immediate steps to put an immediate halt to that nonsense, without delay, if it is indeed true. Let us bring to light the things now hidden in darkness. I rest my case.