MTC takes over youth games

FOLLOWING last year’s shambolic National Youth Games at Rietfontein, title sponsor will control the organisation of this year’s event.

The move relegates the Namibia Sports Commission, which oversaw the previous two chaotic editions, to glorified auxiliary partners.

MTC, which sponsored N$1,8 million for the competition, apologised for the horror show in December, when the nation’s aspiring sports stars were subjected to deplorable living conditions during the three-day competition.

Sports Commission officials lavishly lived, some with their families and friends, at private lodges, while athletes were cramped into shoddy accommodation and served unpalatable meals as the games descended into chaos.

Boys and girls were lumped together in filthy dormitories where they shared sleeping space and ablution facilities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many were forced to sleep on the floor in corridors.

“We are mindful that we are dealing with very young athletes and their parents trust the organisers with their kids, it is therefore heartbreaking to hear from your kids that they have not eaten or not being treated well,” said MTC spokesperson Tim Ekandjo.

There were accounts of athletes fainting during their events as they complained of hunger and thirst. This prompted some of the distressed parents to rush to the neglected children’s aid and buy food and water for them.

“We will ensure this will not happen again. Our philosophy is not to interfere in the affairs of our sponsorship beneficiaries, but if these events generate bad publicity we will insist on getting actively involved and we want to thank the leadership of the Namibia Sports Commission for allowing MTC to take charge of certain aspects of the event that pertains to accommodation and meals for all stakeholders participating in this event,” he continued.

Stipends for volunteers, local organising committee officials and some of the competing codes were slashed in half, while the Sports Commission representatives and their guests received inflated packages for the three-day event.

“We would therefore like to sincerely apologise to all the athletes, officials and parents for the shortcomings at the 2020 MTC National Youth Games, and we want to assure you that this will not happen again as we welcome you back to the 2021 MTC National Youth Games whose date will be announced by the Namibia Sports Commission in due course.

"We have already started with the preparations of the 2021 Games to ensure that we deliver on a world-class event and can confirm that the 2021 Games will be held in Windhoek,” Ekandjo promised.

Sports Commission chief administrator Freddy Simataa Mwiya claimed an unforeseen N$900 000 shortfall was to blame for the appalling games organisation.

Last year, Mwiya defended the chaos, claiming they were minor challenges dwarfed by the positives.

The horde of well-fed senior government officials at what should be the nation’s premier youth competition was justified as they needed to canvas political support for future editions, Mwiya said.

He sang a different tune yesterday, admitting that the bloated dignitaries contingent and their uninvited associates significantly strained resources.

“We said let’s take the blame. At the end of the day we were forced to take N$400 000 from our coffers to ensure that we cater for extra meals and rooms,” Mwiya said.

“We equally acknowledge that indeed some challenges rendered it difficult for us to create a spectacular sporting event which made us short of meeting our expected standards and measure up to the reputation of the event.”

MTC will not transfer funds to the Sports Commission, which is only expected to oversee the sporting side of the event.

“By Mr Mwiya’s own admission, you can see there were things that were not supposed to happen. These are the aspects that we have identified that in 2021, we do not want to entertain,” Ekandjo said.