Windhoek
All Africa Games para-athlete gold medallist Ananias Shikongo and two fellow athletes want the directorate of sports to honour its word.
The trio are aggrieved by the directorate’s change of heart after it had earlier undertaken to host a prize-giving ceremony for medallists who successfully participated in the All Africa Games in Congo-Brazzaville last year.
Shikongo and his team-mates Johannes Nambala and Elias Ndimulunde scooped an amazing haul of 14 medals at the continental showpiece where Namibia finished in overall 7th position.
The group brought home five gold medals, courtesy of two gold medals apiece by Johanna Benson and John Nambala. The pair’s achievement is the first of a kind for Namibia raking in such a high figure from a single event.
The visually impaired unemployed athlete has been very vocal about the sorry plight of para-athletes, protesting that they are not getting the recognition they duly deserve.
He called on sports authorities to appreciate them in the same vein as able-bodied athletes who have been awarded handsomely, while also invited for a courtesy call at State House.
The athletes poured their hearts out to New Era that all AAG participants received a text message from a Paralympic representative on November 15 last year that they will have a welcoming event for participants and prize-giving ceremony the following day.
However, on the morning of November 16, the athletes received another text message that the envisaged gathering was postponed until further notice.
“Till today, we didn’t hear anything. We want to know what is happening and why are we being treated like this. With the 2016 Rio Olympics around the corner, we are likely to be exposed to the same treatment, so when are we going to get our AAG prizes,” fumed Shikongo. He made a significant reference to the NFA technical staff who are yet to be compensated for claiming the prestigious Cosafa Cup in South Africa last year.
Shikongo added that they solely depend on the N$1 000 disability grant which is barely enough to make ends meet as they are obliged to buy basic necessities such as food and pay for taxi fare to training sessions. The reason for complaining, Shikongo said, is because they depend on the reward, since they are unemployed. “Why can’t the ministry make a plan to find us work so that we don’t bother them since we will be depending on our salary.”
He added that they are tired of hearing comments like ‘you made the country proud’ or ‘when are you going to run again?’ after participating in major international events.
“We want them to do something and also want to meet the president and sports minister while we don’t want to be dropped off at the airport without any of the officials welcoming us.”
Chef de Mission to AAG, Roger Kambatuku, instead asked why the group took their plight to the media while the lines of dialogue are always open to engage the ministry on a daily basis.
“Just last week, the group was at our office when the Angolan team visited them for a familiarization tour and they also requested the ministry to provide them with transportation for their training sessions.
“So, why should we respond to them through the newspapers while they can engage us directly?” charged Kambatuku.