The nominees for the Namibia Annual Sports Awards were announced on Wednesday in Windhoek, with the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) revealing that it received 127 entries this year, up from 111 last year.
According to NSC chief administrator Freddy Mwiya, the increase demonstrates the continued interest and confidence of the sporting fraternity in the national recognition platform.
He said the Commission had strengthened its verification and monitoring systems to safeguard the credibility of the awards and ensure that nominations are assessed objectively, consistently and in accordance with the rule book.
This year’s awards introduced three new categories: Sport Administrator of the Year, Sustainable Sport Initiative Award and Safe Sport Award. However, the Safe Sport and Fair Play awards received no entries and will therefore not feature in this year’s ceremony.
Mwiya explained that winners in the various categories would be determined through a ranking process based on their work and achievements.
The nominees for the NSC Chairperson’s Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Hall of Fame Award and Sustainable Sport Initiative Award were not announced and will be revealed at a later stage.
The nominees for the People’s Choice Award were also not revealed, as public nominations are expected to open next week, allowing members of the public to put forward their preferred candidates.
Speaking on behalf of the adjudication panel, Carlos Kambaekwa highlighted some of the challenges encountered during the nomination and assessment process.
He said one of the challenges was that some federations entered athletes into incorrect categories. He cited boxing as an example, explaining that it is classified as an individual sport rather than a team sport.
The Namibia Annual Sports Awards ceremony is scheduled for 14 November at the Mercure Hotel in Windhoek.
-hnalupe@nepc.com.na
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