'I don't know anything'- Ekandjo
The Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) has been requested to intervene in the misunderstanding about whether Jamaican-based sprinter Tjipee Herunga has qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games or not.
Sports Commission chairperson Joel Matheus told Namibian Sun on Wednesday that they had been requested by the ministry of sport to intervene in the misunderstanding and give feedback to Minister Jerry Ekandjo.
Matheus said they had engaged Athletics Namibia and the Namibia National Olympics Committee (NNOC) on the issue and briefed the minister about the outcome.
“We engaged both stakeholders because for us to be able to determine what the issue is all about we had to engage them both and hear from both sides,” he said.
He would not reveal the findings, saying that the minister would make an official announcement.
“We have sat with the minister and briefed him and I think it is up to him to announce the position of the ministry in this regard because as a commission we were asked by the minister to find out what is the issue there and we have done our part and he will probably announce the findings soon,” he said.
Matheus said the commission cannot assume that the ministry will agree with their findings.
He described the misunderstanding as a sad story for Namibia and said issues like that affected the athletes.
Ekandjo refused to say whether he had directed the Sports Commission to intervene, insisting that he knew nothing and had not intervened in anything.
“I know nothing, if it is something about the Olympics then ask the Olympic Committee. I am told they send documents but I am not in the office, I told them to give the documents but I did not see them and will only see them on Monday,” he said.
Ekandjo maintained that he requested documents from the Sport Commission after they had informed him that there was a problem about the Olympics.
“I said I want the documentation then I will see them on Monday.
“They said there is something in the Olympics, what, what... and I just said no I am very far because I am in Swakopmund and need the documentation because I don’t even know what is in the documentation. I know nothing, that is why I asked for the documentation, and I did not intervene in anything,” he said.
Athletics Namibia president Alna Similo also could not shed any light on the issue when Namibian Sun contacted her. She said she was aware that a meeting took place and the Sports Commission would be able to say what the outcome was.
NNOC president Abner Xoagub said the Sport Commission had requested documents from them on Monday, and they were given to them.
He said no meeting between the two had taken place yet.
“We only gave them the documents they had requested from us and maybe they have deliberated on them but we have not sat down with them,” he said.
KAINO NGHITONGO
Sports Commission chairperson Joel Matheus told Namibian Sun on Wednesday that they had been requested by the ministry of sport to intervene in the misunderstanding and give feedback to Minister Jerry Ekandjo.
Matheus said they had engaged Athletics Namibia and the Namibia National Olympics Committee (NNOC) on the issue and briefed the minister about the outcome.
“We engaged both stakeholders because for us to be able to determine what the issue is all about we had to engage them both and hear from both sides,” he said.
He would not reveal the findings, saying that the minister would make an official announcement.
“We have sat with the minister and briefed him and I think it is up to him to announce the position of the ministry in this regard because as a commission we were asked by the minister to find out what is the issue there and we have done our part and he will probably announce the findings soon,” he said.
Matheus said the commission cannot assume that the ministry will agree with their findings.
He described the misunderstanding as a sad story for Namibia and said issues like that affected the athletes.
Ekandjo refused to say whether he had directed the Sports Commission to intervene, insisting that he knew nothing and had not intervened in anything.
“I know nothing, if it is something about the Olympics then ask the Olympic Committee. I am told they send documents but I am not in the office, I told them to give the documents but I did not see them and will only see them on Monday,” he said.
Ekandjo maintained that he requested documents from the Sport Commission after they had informed him that there was a problem about the Olympics.
“I said I want the documentation then I will see them on Monday.
“They said there is something in the Olympics, what, what... and I just said no I am very far because I am in Swakopmund and need the documentation because I don’t even know what is in the documentation. I know nothing, that is why I asked for the documentation, and I did not intervene in anything,” he said.
Athletics Namibia president Alna Similo also could not shed any light on the issue when Namibian Sun contacted her. She said she was aware that a meeting took place and the Sports Commission would be able to say what the outcome was.
NNOC president Abner Xoagub said the Sport Commission had requested documents from them on Monday, and they were given to them.
He said no meeting between the two had taken place yet.
“We only gave them the documents they had requested from us and maybe they have deliberated on them but we have not sat down with them,” he said.
KAINO NGHITONGO
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