FORMER RUGBY BOSSES SHOULD FACE THE MUSIC

By the time you read this, the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) might have appointed the head coach for the national side, an announcement which was due yesterday.
But that aside. I want to revisit the issue of the former executive members who jumped ship at the NRU and left a huge mess.

Firstly, I have not seen any significant efforts made, especially by the Namibia Sport Commission (NSC), to get to the bottom of this issue.

These former rugby bosses or the executive committee, including ex president Buks Bock, left the union high and dry as allegations of financial mismanagement and the poor administration of the game surfaced.

Despite the fact that some were possibly not in the wrong, it still beats me why all decided to jump ship in such a hurry, with the exception of Christo Alexander?
All will plead innocence in this case, but the fact remains that someone must be held accountable for the mess created - which remains unresolved.

The pull-out of the main sponsors MTC, the funds that have dried up from the International Rugby Board (IRB), the poor performances of the national teams and the way the domestic league is run are to be blamed on Bock and Co.

These issues need to be investigated to the bone and the responsible culprits who signed cheques, authorised trips and who were at the forefront of practically running the game into the ground, must face the law.

Earlier, I stated in this column that the NSC, as an authority that directly deals with the federations, must take the lead in this. The commissioner responsible for rugby should have by now set up a team looking into this fiasco.

The question of sweeping matters under the carpet and saying that all is fine is an extremely lame approach to matters and it exposes the inability of the authorities to exercise power.

That said, I challenge the Minister of Sport, Kezenambo Kazenambo, to instruct his men to get answers to these many questions. It is also high time that we see the Minister flex his muscles and do what he has been appointed to do in that position.

Government saved the rugby team at the last minute to compete at the World Cup. The rugby bosses in turn left the sport in a ditch.

How pathetic is that?

click to enlarge Corry Ihuhua