The Namibian national senior football team, the Brave Warriors are refusing to accept 27% offered by the Namibia Football Association (NFA) from the N$15 million Confederation of African Football (CAF) prize money.
Two senior players who preferred anonymity said they are waiting for their legal representative, Kadhila Amoomo to announce the way forward.
“One thing for sure, we will not take that 27%,” said one of the players.
The 27% share equates to about N$4 million, translating to around N$170 000 for each player and member of the technical staff.
The NFA, at a press conference held in Gobabis on 1 April, offered to give the players a portion from the prize money if they withdraw threats of legal action.
Despite the NFA offering this ultimatum to the players, in a letter dated 28 March, NFA’s legal representative, Sisa Namandje through a letter to their representative Amoomo, instructed the players to withdraw their claims of the prize money.
Namandje stated that the N$15 million from CAF is prize money and not reward money. “Therefore, such monies are prize monies and not reward or sponsorship as per the letter authored by CAF. “It is our instructions that the clause that your clients are relying on for their demand is not applicable in so far as it relates to the N$15 million.
Clause 6.4 is only applicable in the event that our client on behalf of the team receives sponsorships or rewards as the clause reads: “In cases of sponsorships or rewards of any kind to the team during the tournament, the benefits shall be equally shared among the players and the technical staff.
“It is our instructions that the N$15 million received from CAF was explicitly slated to be prize money and not reward or sponsorship as per the letter authored by CAF to our client on February 2024.
“The agreement concluded between your clients and our client did not account for prize money and our client is therefore not in breach of the said agreement. Our client does not owe your clients any money and all such money that your client was entitled to as per the contract was paid over to your client,” reads the letter. Amoomo was not reachable for comment before going to print.
However, as this prize money tug of war ensues, the Warriors on the other hand will have a World Cup qualifier campaign starting sometime in June.
-lmupetami@nepc.com.na