Come to the party - Uutoni

For the first time since its inception, Namibia will play host to the RASAs, which will attract top athletes from the region to our shores in May.
Limba Mupetami
Sports minister Erastus Uutoni has urged corporates to release funds in order to help the sporting industry grow in Namibia.

Uutoni, who is spearheading the hosting of the country's first-ever Namibia Sports Expo in September, as well as the establishment of a sport museum, was speaking at the launch of the fourth edition of the Regional Annual Sports Awards (RASAs), slated for May.

“We are sleeping on duty. We need to re-organise ourselves and I urge corporates to release money and invest in the sports industry to grow.

“Let young people feel like they are part of Africa,” he stressed.

Uutoni said everyone should capitalise on promoting and celebrating the RASAs as Namibia is most likely to benefit from the spillovers associated with sports tourism, as some of the best sporting personalities in the region will form part of the nominations.

He said despite the economic challenges, the organisers were seeking the indulgence of corporates.

“We must equally acknowledge the reality of the potential contribution of sport towards social cohesion and nation-building, as well as towards attracting direct and indirect foreign investment and the economic regeneration in communities, cities, regions, towns and villages,” Uutoni said.

For the first time since its inception, Namibia will play host to the awards which will attract athletes from nine countries, with Angola not taking part as it does not have national sports awards.

“Angola will be part of the awards from next year and we are excited to see the RASAs grow since its inaugural edition in 2016.

“Today we have nine member countries taking part in the fourth edition, a serious growth because in 2016 we only had five member countries taking part,” said Stanley Mutoya, the AUSC Region 5 CEO.

As per the AUSC Region 5 awards rulebook, its primary mandate is to encourage all 10 member countries to host national sport awards preceding the RASAs.

The winners at country level are automatically entered as RASA nominees.

LIMBA MUPETAMI

LIMBA MUPETAMI

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-24

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