NPL’s ride-or-dies stand firm
Football clubs affiliated with the Namibia Premier League are caught between a rock and a hard place following the league’s failure to win its court case.
Jesse Jackson Kauraisa
Windhoek
Some of Namibia Premier League (NPL) football clubs have assured their commitment to the league, even if the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) this week ruled in the Namibia Football Association’s (NFA) favour.
African Stars, Life Fighters and Okahandja United remain the only clubs still tied to the ousted NPL.
All clubs that formed part of the expelled premier league have joined the new NFA administered league known as the Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL).
The clubs confirmed their allegiance to the new league by resigning from the NPL’s structures and also playing in a transitional NFA league.
The NPL loyalists, however, indicated that they would only resign from the league once the NPL has exhausted all its options.
Beyond reasonable doubt
“As Life Fighters, our position at the moment remains unchanged because the league is still having its appeal case with the Namibia Sports Commission appeals committee.
“It has not been proven beyond reasonable doubt that the league cannot be registered as a professional body.
“That is why as a football club we are also not going to hand in our resignation from the NPL until we deem in fit to do so,” Life Fighters owner Anton Kake said.
Meanwhile, African Stars management also maintained that the club will not hastily withdraw from the NPL because the league still has an appeal case pending.
A senior in the management of the club, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the club will remain a member of NPL for now.
“We did see the letter from CAS and we are aware of what the verdict was.
“African Stars, however, remains a member of the NPL because there is an appeal case that needs to be resolved.
“I think we will have to wait till 26 June before we can pronounce ourselves as a football club,” the source said.
Congo Hindjou of Okahandja United yesterday also maintained that the club remains a member of the NPL.
He added that Okahandja United has not ruled out a possibility of playing in any other league, provided that there are lasting solutions and decisions.
“As a club, we are still a member of the NPL and we are still waiting on 26 June for the case at the appeals committee.
“I can, however, assure our fans that we will play football when the actual season starts.
“It can be in the professional league or any other league because at the end of the day, football must be the winner,” Hindjou remarked.
Unam jumps ship
Unam Football Club, which was one of the few remaining clubs tied to the NPL, has indicated it could be joining the NPFL.
Unam FC’s spokesperson Evaristus Evaristus confirmed that the club will no longer wait for another decision before they make up their mind.
“On 24 December we already made it clear when we wrote to the NFA that we have accepted the invitation to join the top-tier league following the Namibia Sports Commission decision of last year.
“We are not waiting for any other pending case because we have already made up our minds,” he said.
The CAS on Monday dismissed the case between the expelled NPL and the NFA.
The NPL has been seeking relief from CAS after it was suspended as a member of the NFA, following a lengthy standoff between the two parties.
Windhoek
Some of Namibia Premier League (NPL) football clubs have assured their commitment to the league, even if the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) this week ruled in the Namibia Football Association’s (NFA) favour.
African Stars, Life Fighters and Okahandja United remain the only clubs still tied to the ousted NPL.
All clubs that formed part of the expelled premier league have joined the new NFA administered league known as the Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL).
The clubs confirmed their allegiance to the new league by resigning from the NPL’s structures and also playing in a transitional NFA league.
The NPL loyalists, however, indicated that they would only resign from the league once the NPL has exhausted all its options.
Beyond reasonable doubt
“As Life Fighters, our position at the moment remains unchanged because the league is still having its appeal case with the Namibia Sports Commission appeals committee.
“It has not been proven beyond reasonable doubt that the league cannot be registered as a professional body.
“That is why as a football club we are also not going to hand in our resignation from the NPL until we deem in fit to do so,” Life Fighters owner Anton Kake said.
Meanwhile, African Stars management also maintained that the club will not hastily withdraw from the NPL because the league still has an appeal case pending.
A senior in the management of the club, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the club will remain a member of NPL for now.
“We did see the letter from CAS and we are aware of what the verdict was.
“African Stars, however, remains a member of the NPL because there is an appeal case that needs to be resolved.
“I think we will have to wait till 26 June before we can pronounce ourselves as a football club,” the source said.
Congo Hindjou of Okahandja United yesterday also maintained that the club remains a member of the NPL.
He added that Okahandja United has not ruled out a possibility of playing in any other league, provided that there are lasting solutions and decisions.
“As a club, we are still a member of the NPL and we are still waiting on 26 June for the case at the appeals committee.
“I can, however, assure our fans that we will play football when the actual season starts.
“It can be in the professional league or any other league because at the end of the day, football must be the winner,” Hindjou remarked.
Unam jumps ship
Unam Football Club, which was one of the few remaining clubs tied to the NPL, has indicated it could be joining the NPFL.
Unam FC’s spokesperson Evaristus Evaristus confirmed that the club will no longer wait for another decision before they make up their mind.
“On 24 December we already made it clear when we wrote to the NFA that we have accepted the invitation to join the top-tier league following the Namibia Sports Commission decision of last year.
“We are not waiting for any other pending case because we have already made up our minds,” he said.
The CAS on Monday dismissed the case between the expelled NPL and the NFA.
The NPL has been seeking relief from CAS after it was suspended as a member of the NFA, following a lengthy standoff between the two parties.
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