Peanuts for many, blessing for some

It is like we are lost in the woods and just repeatedly stepping into our own footprints in an attempt to find our destination.

Like a dog eating its vomit, just to vomit again and eat it again.

I say that sports in this country is a blessing for some and peanuts for many given the gap between those who want to make big money from sport and those who are still struggling to make big money out of it.

Yes, we do have some of our Namibian stars who became instant millionaires from sport.

That number will, however, be dwarfed by the fact that many Namibians make little to nothing from sport in Namibia.

This has been the case for so many years and it seems that there is still no light at the end of the tunnel for so many who had hope that sport could earn them a decent living.

Those who make a big buck are often the super hardworking or super talented individuals who get foreign gigs or even contracts.

For many average performers, sport in Namibia does not really pay at all.

There are also those who are super talented but find themselves playing for peanuts or absolutely nothing.

As a citizen of this country, it still remains a concern that our sport has really not made any strides as far as the remuneration of athletes in various sectors is concerned.

The fact that we are still at a point where some people play for free in several leagues because there is no adequate funding has become scary.

The fact that Namibia is over 32 years old and there is still no sport code that is fully professional with those participating in it locally not needing any other employment makes my heart skip a beat.

This clearly means that one can merely not quit a job and dedicate a life to competing in a sport that pays locally.

Yes, there are exceptions - some athletes have made a good buck from a local sport code or league, but the majority have not.

I do not know if we are reluctant to change the fortunes of sport in this country or that we have given up on making local sport economically sound.

The fact that we still fear to take steps towards professionalising several sport codes shows where we stand as a country in terms of arriving at the promised land other countries have reached.

Maybe the corporate world has just not injected enough for sport to become a sustainable and financially viable sector.

Maybe the infighting in various sport codes has also held us back as a country as far as making strides is concerned.

It seems that as a country, we have slowly given up on professionalising sport in this country.

The fact that our sport facilities are falling apart gives a clear indication on how those in charge feel about sport.

It is for these reasons I am beginning to fear that it might even take another 30 years to reach to a point where sport locally sustains individuals without having to look for a job.

While my lips speak with optimism about a fully professional sport setup, the events and attitude of some Namibians sing a different song.

If no changes and desire appear in the next few years, we can forget about making sport a fully professional sector.

We remain an enemy of ourselves by delaying certain projects and prospects that could move sport in the right direction.

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