Eight years after winning the 2016 Under-17 (U-17) Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Cup, the players and management team have approached the sports ministry requesting compensation for their achievements.

Namibia’s U-17 national team became the second national team to be crowned COSAFA champions after defeating South Africa 3-1 on penalties to lift the COSAFA Under-17 Championships trophy following a 1-1 draw in the final in Mauritius.

This U-17 win came a year after the senior national football team won the 2015 COSAFA Cup for the first time. The Namibian government rewarded the Brave Warriors team with N.dollars 50 000 each for their historic victory.

In a petition handed over to the Acting Director of Sports, Ervin Ndjavera on Monday, the group expressed disappointment with how the sports ministry has been rewarding teams in the country.

‘We have noticed that certain teams have been rewarded or recognised with financial incentives, while others have not received any such reward
s. This discrepancy in treatment has left us feeling disheartened and appalled by our sport leaders,’ read the statement.

The petition also expresses disappointment in the lack of recognition for the U-17 team’s accomplishments.

‘The blatant disregard for our accomplishments sends a discouraging message not only to the young athletes who have put in countless hours of hard work to hone their skills, but also to other aspiring youth who dream of representing Namibia on the international stage,’ it added.

Addressing the former U-17 athletes and their officials at the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service headquarters, Ndjavera received the petition and informed them that he would hand their grievances to the Executive Director and Minister, who would then revert to them.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Nampa, goalkeeper of the U-17 COSAFA winning squad, Phillipus Josef said that the wait for their reward had forced many to quit football while others have resorted to crime.

‘When we participated in
the competition, some of us were busy with examinations. Despite this, we made time to answer the call to represent our national team. However, after winning, we were only welcomed by our parents at the airport. After that, we didn’t hear from anyone. Even those who came from out of town had trouble securing transport fare to return home,’ he said.

He stated that now is the time for the promise made to them to be fulfilled, just like how everyone is rewarded for their achievements.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency