Namibia prepare for SARPCCO games
The Namibian Police Force football team led by the Inspector General, Sebastian Ndeitunga at the police fun day last year. (Photograph Contributed)
A statement on NAMPOL’s website read: “The Namibian Police would like the nation to be informed about this multinational event and to seek national support and assistance, both monetary and in kind.”
The games first took place in July 1996 when police chiefs of 12 Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries acknowledged the need for the advancement of regional cooperation in policing the region. The games have since grown into one of the most celebrated events in the region.
Since the inception of the games, Namibia has participated, but the country’s performance was not satisfactory until the seventh edition of the games held in DRC. It took Namibia four consecutive years before the country started collecting medals at the games. After that the country moved from seventh position to fifth position during the SARPCCO Games 2009 in Blantyre, Malawi. During the seventh edition of the games held in Lumbumbashi, DR Congo, Namibia came second after winning 24 medals – 11 gold, 10 silver and 3 bronze.
The objectives of the games are to organize, regulate and administer sport for serving police officers in the region; to foster partnership in the sub-region and improve co-operation through sport; to build trust and friendship amongst the junior ranks and to advance a common purpose in the region, especially amongst junior ranks.
The various sport disciplines are: athletics, football (men and women), volleyball (men and women), netball, chess (men and women), darts (men and women), and tennis (men and women).
