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Adequate funding will ensure athletes cross the finishing line

• 2 Days Ago 05 November 2024

“Corporate Namibia should not come on board in 2027 or 2028. They must do the right thing and join us now so that we work together to achieve the results we want.”

These were the remarks of Freddy Mwiya, the chief administrator at the Namibia Sports Commission, during a ceremony where the national electricity supplier NamPower rewarded members of the Namibian Paralympic team for their performances at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games held during August and September.

Mwiya said athletes’ journey to the 2028 Summer Paralympics, scheduled to take place from August 15 to August 27 in Los Angeles, has already commenced. He called on the corporate sector to stand by athletes through the provision of financial backing throughout their entire careers.

“There is a need for us to plough into our athletes from the beginning up to the end. Support for athletes does not start on the day of a tournament. Many organisations only arrive with aid on the actual start of a tournament, or in the year of an event being hosted.”

Kahenge Haulofu, the managing director of NamPower, concurred with Mwiya.

“Funding of sports for people living with a disability is very scarce. Consistent support has a positive impact on the performance and well-being of athletes. Corporate Namibia should step up and establish more sponsorship programmes to reward athletes with prize monies as our total collective prize monies will mean a lot for our sports people, allowing them to fulfil their professional careers through their respective talents,” he said.

According to Mwiya, the existing partnership between NamPower and Disability Sports Namibia and its affiliates is a perfect example of a proper and complete sponsorship model.

“The national electric power utility company of Namibia has been on board for several years and was present before I joined the Sports Commission in 2017. NamPower has shown resilience and by staying with DSN managed to nurture talents.

“At the end of the day, the medals and achievements came from our athletes and also from the coaches.”

Mwiya commended NamPower, DSN with its affiliates, paralympic athletes and coaches for doing an exceptional job.

“They have built a proven track record with remarkable achievements over the years. It is no secret that whenever we send a team from the Namibian National Paralympic Deaf Sports Federation or Special Olympics Namibia to world events, we know they will return with some medals.

“We do not always see what the coaches are doing. When we reviewed our strategic plan, we observed that we have achieved our target with this cluster of athletes.”

At the ceremony, NamPower handed over a total of N$1.5 million to athletes, guide runners, coaches and federations organising sports for the disabled.