Athletes still owed money for 2019 winnings
Namibian athletes are still owed money from last year's competitions.
The Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) is yet to reward athletes who won silverware at the African Games, IAAF World Athletics Championships and IPC World Athletics Championships last year.
At the African Games in Morocco, Team Namibia won eight medals in cycling, archery and boxing, of which two were gold, two silver and four bronze.
At the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) world athletics championships in Doha, Team Namibia won a bronze medal in marathon running, while at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Athletics Championships in Dubai, the Namibians came home with a gold and bronze from the 400 metre (m) and 100m sprint.
The medals won at the three international competitions brought the total cash rewards owed to athletes by the NSC to almost N$1 million.
In an interview with Nampa on Thursday, NSC chief administrator Freddy Mwiya said they are aware of what they owe athletes and they are currently working hard with their line ministry to find funds to reward them.
“We handed in a submission of N$1 million to the ministry of sport last year and we are now waiting to hear from them as they are also busy looking for that money from the ministry of finance,” he said.
He added that if it was in their power, the NSC would have rewarded athletes immediately after they arrived back in the country but due to financial constraints, could not.
Mwiya stated that the money owed to the athletes will be paid to them, even though the time line is not known.
“I know it has taken long to reward athletes especially those who won first at the African Games, but we have handed in a shortfall budget to the ministry and I'm hopeful that we will get that money,” said Mwiya.
He said the N$1 million shortfall budget is divided into three parts – N$620 000 for the African Games; N$220 000 for the IPC Athletics World Champs and N$100 000 for the IAAF Athletics World Champs.
For winning gold at the IPC World Athletics Championships, an athlete gets N$100 000, while a bronze is N$50 000. Athletes receive N$50 000 if they win a bronze medal at the IAAF World Athletic Championships.
A coach is rewarded N$50 000 for each gold and N$20 000 for each bronze. At the African Games athletes walk away with N$80 000 for each gold, N$60 000 for each silver and N$40 000 for each bronze.
Coaches get N$35 000 for each gold, N$25 000 for silver and N$15 000 for bronze.
NAMPA
At the African Games in Morocco, Team Namibia won eight medals in cycling, archery and boxing, of which two were gold, two silver and four bronze.
At the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) world athletics championships in Doha, Team Namibia won a bronze medal in marathon running, while at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Athletics Championships in Dubai, the Namibians came home with a gold and bronze from the 400 metre (m) and 100m sprint.
The medals won at the three international competitions brought the total cash rewards owed to athletes by the NSC to almost N$1 million.
In an interview with Nampa on Thursday, NSC chief administrator Freddy Mwiya said they are aware of what they owe athletes and they are currently working hard with their line ministry to find funds to reward them.
“We handed in a submission of N$1 million to the ministry of sport last year and we are now waiting to hear from them as they are also busy looking for that money from the ministry of finance,” he said.
He added that if it was in their power, the NSC would have rewarded athletes immediately after they arrived back in the country but due to financial constraints, could not.
Mwiya stated that the money owed to the athletes will be paid to them, even though the time line is not known.
“I know it has taken long to reward athletes especially those who won first at the African Games, but we have handed in a shortfall budget to the ministry and I'm hopeful that we will get that money,” said Mwiya.
He said the N$1 million shortfall budget is divided into three parts – N$620 000 for the African Games; N$220 000 for the IPC Athletics World Champs and N$100 000 for the IAAF Athletics World Champs.
For winning gold at the IPC World Athletics Championships, an athlete gets N$100 000, while a bronze is N$50 000. Athletes receive N$50 000 if they win a bronze medal at the IAAF World Athletic Championships.
A coach is rewarded N$50 000 for each gold and N$20 000 for each bronze. At the African Games athletes walk away with N$80 000 for each gold, N$60 000 for each silver and N$40 000 for each bronze.
Coaches get N$35 000 for each gold, N$25 000 for silver and N$15 000 for bronze.
NAMPA
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