Zebaldt Ngaruka
In football, silence usually follows a crushing defeat, but for the Namibia Football Association (NFA), it has become the strategy of choice after a championship win in the Namport Omaheke Second Division league.
It has been months since Omaheke Sport Club (SC) earned the league title, yet the promised winning purse remains nowhere to be seen.
The chairperson of the Omaheke Football Assoc iat ion (OFA), Theobald Kahuure, confirmed to New Era Sport that he is in the dark about the non-payment of Omaheke Sport Club despite being told by the NFA that the money was paid.
“We have been fighting this payment issue with NFA for a long time, and the new season is about to start. If the money was paid, to which account?” he asked.
The publication learned that OFA has two accounts: Bank Windhoek and Nampost.
“Where has the money gone to, and where is the proof. The proof of payment must be brought forward,” he said, adding that other teams from second position downward received their prizes.
Kahuure said OFA is disturbed by this situation and is feeling the pain heavily for the affected team.
By retreating into a fortress of silence, NFA is choosing to ghost its own champions rather than explain where the prize money went.
The publication’s questions to NFA’s acting secretary general, Mabos Vries, on the issue remain unanswered since last month.
Gotfried Maritshane, one of the Omaheke SC managers, said the nonpayment of the winning prizes put the team in limbo.
He said this is unfair treatment f rom the footbal l authority, given the challenges clubs face in honouring league obligations.
Among the challenges, the manager said the team is struggling to sign players and ended up signing them on credit, hoping they would receive the money.
“We also have to pay our debts, including affiliation fees. Imagine, we are even being forced to pay affiliation fees for the new season, set to commence this weekend, while NFA is st i ll owing us N$30 000,” he said.
Maritshane added that the nonpayment of the prizes also affected their preparations for the new season.
Meanwhile, Kahuure confirmed that the league will not start this weekend as the famous Legare Stadium is booked.
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