Namibian sport is addicted to infighting

I have been following the feud between the minister of sport and NSC chief administrator Freddy Mwiya with close attention and I must say I predicted the end result. It is not result I am for or against, but even though I had predicted it, I was shocked when the minister dismantled the whole Sports Commission board, including its chief administrator, Freddy Mwiya. It is a move that has left me wondering about what has cursed Namibian Sport in general.I am seriously tired of having to pen columns which express anger and dissatisfaction with our sport administrators.I thought my pen would be writing positive things, but I am back here having to make some sense of a senseless sport administration.Just last year, the country was celebrating the incredible achievements by many of our sporting stars. The odds appeared to have turned in our favour and it all looked as if we were heading in the right direction. But just as we are known for, we tend to throw sand in our own food by the moment everything seems to be right. I am here trying to be the voice for those that are unable to express themselves in the middle of the latest infighting at the ministry of sport. This is a crisis that needs to be addressed and handled with utmost care or else sport will totally collapse in this country. This latest fight has a taste of poison on my tongue and I am seeing deeper chaos than we have ever experienced before. The poison that has already been poisoning Namibian sports has now reached the elites. The true decision-makers are no longer making decisions about what is good for the sport but about what is good for their egos and friendships.These fights and insubordination are becoming a chronic illness that is out of hand.The sad part about all the latest shenanigans is that those who have to hold sport together are falling apart. Those that have often questioned and reprimanded federations when they are at war with themselves, have now turned against each other. How do we become a peaceful sport nation if the ministry that has to run sport and the sport commission are at loggerheads? The new tussle for power comes at a very wrong time when this country needs unity more than ever before.In the midst of Namibia’s hopes to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, it appears as if things are heading south again. The sad part about all this is that it's clear the minister of sport will stick to her decision while the commissioners are set to fight back. What I am predicting is another long legal battle between the country's sport elites. The result will however affect the ordinary men and women of this country who take part in sport.It will also affect the young sport aspirants who hope that there is a place for them in the sporting industry. The fights continue to shape the destiny of many young Namibians who had dreams of becoming world champions.It is for this reason I am pleading with those at the forefront of the shenanigans to find lasting solutions. We have so much more to lose as a country than what we can gain out of all these fights.I am sure that the legal advisors and lawyers will cost us more than if people could sit at the table and make sound decisions. There is more to gain in harmony and more to lose in chaos in this beautiful sporting nation.jesse@namibiansun.com

Namibian sport is addicted to infighting

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-07-14

Please login to leave a comment

Namibian sport is addicted to infighting

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-07-14

Please login to leave a comment

Login