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Lack of funds shatters footballers’ hopes to participate in 2020 Olympics

Lack of funds shatters footballers’ hopes to participate in 2020 Olympics

NFA- The 2020 football Olympics dream is shattered with the announcement by the Namibia Football Association (NFA) of the withdrawal of the national under-23s side from the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) U23s qualifiers.

The Namibians were due to visit Angola on 16 November before hosting them on 20 November but by Monday afternoon the Football House accommodation area was deserted as the disappointed players were told to go back home after spending about a month in camp, according to the NFA website.

“We simply don’t have funds to take the team to Angola and it is a very sad situation as you could see the boys we looking forward to this campaign but now it’s all over for them. The money we have now have to be used for the Brave Warriors for this weekend’ game against Guinea Bissau and so the junior teams are feeling the pinch,” explained Secretary General, Barry Rukoro.

Rukoro added that the untenable situation at the NFA with regard to the leadership tussle might and will force the NFA to withdraw the Young Warriors from the upcoming Cosafa U20 Championships in Kitwe, Zambia in December.

“It is serious reputational damage for the Association as we are known to be ever present at almost all youth competitions and now this is happening and we have no choice but to pull the plug. We will still assess the situation with regard to the under20s going to the Cosafa Cup”.

The withdrawal of the Under23s will now mean that Angola advances to the second round to face South Africa and in the third round, they await the winner of Zimbabwe against either Eswatini or Mozambique for a place at Egypt 2019.

The tournament in Egypt, between 8-22 November in 2019, will see the top three teams qualifying automatically for the 2020 Olympics Games. The fourth-place finisher plays in a play-off against a team from the Asian Football Confederation. Nigeria are the defending champions.

The Namibia U-23s squad consisted of 37 players with the technical team made up of Head Coach, Ronnie Kanalelo, First Assistant Coach, Quentin Visagie and Second Assistant Coach, Collin Benjamin.


 

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Sport Contributor

The Economist does not have a dedicated sport reporter. This designation is used for several contributors who want their sport stories in the Economist. Experience has taught us that companies usually want their sport sponsorships published prominently, being the reason for a sports category. It now also carries general sport items but only those with direct Namibian relevance. - Ed.