Opinion- Our athletes are speaking: Namibia must now listen and build

Namibia’s athletes are speaking to the nation. They are not speaking through parliamentary debates, policy documents or political speeches. They are speaking through goals, medals, records, victories and extraordinary performances on the international stage. The question confronting the nation is whether our policymakers, parliamentarians, corporate leaders and local authorities are listening.

The recent achievements of Namibian sportsmen and women provide compelling evidence that the country possesses talent capable of competing successfully beyond its borders. The Brave Gladiators have already written their name into Namibian sporting history by winning the 2026 COSAFA Women’s Championship, the country’s first-ever title in the competition. 

They defeated South Africa 2–1 in the final in Polokwane after overcoming defending champions Zambia in the semi-final. Our boxers subsequently returned from the 2026 Commonwealth Games with one silver and two bronze medals, while Namibian swimmers established new national records in Glasgow.

Football has continued to reinforce this message. On 24 September 2026, the Brave Warriors defeated Congo 1–0 in Gaborone, with Bethuel Muzeu scoring the decisive goal. At youth level, Namibia’s Young Warriors completed an exceptional COSAFA Under-20 group campaign by winning all three of their matches, collecting nine points, scoring five goals and conceding none.

These achievements should not be treated merely as occasions for celebration. They should be understood as evidence that Namibia has a sporting talent base that deserves a serious national investment.

Our athletes are effectively presenting policymakers with a simple question: If our athletes are ready to compete with the best, are our national institutions ready to provide them with the facilities they deserve?

The uncomfortable contradiction is that Namibia continues to celebrate sporting excellence while struggling to provide the infrastructure required to host major international competitions on its own soil. The national teams have had to play matches outside Namibia because the country lacks a stadium approved for the required international fixtures.

It is an embarrassment for a sporting nation to host its own “home” matches in a neighbouring country because it cannot provide an internationally compliant stadium at home. When the Brave Warriors play a so-called home match outside Namibia, the country loses opportunities for local businesses, tourism, hospitality, broadcasting, event management and entertainment.

The argument for investing urgently in sport infrastructure should therefore no longer be based merely on aspiration. The athletes themselves have provided evidence.

These athletes are effectively saying: “Give us the platform, and we will perform.” The responsibility now belongs to policymakers to answer: “What platform are we going to give you?”

This is where Parliament must turn applause into action. Members of Parliament should not only congratulate athletes after they win trophies or medals. They should also use their legislative, budgetary and oversight responsibilities to accelerate the development of infrastructure and institutions that make sustainable sporting achievement possible.

The sporting question must therefore become a national development question. Parliament should demand clear and measurable answers regarding the completion and accreditation of Independence Stadium, the development and rehabilitation of regional stadiums, the status of the Katutura Youth Complex, the development of Oshakati Independence Stadium, community sports facilities, school-sport coordination, professional sporting structures, sports funding, sports science, women’s sport, disability sport, youth employment through sport and the implementation of the sporting objectives contained in NDP6.

The time has come to move from applause to action; from medals to infrastructure; from talent to careers; and from sport as recreation to sport as an economic sector.

The athletes have spoken.

Now it is time for Namibia’s leaders, Parliament, municipalities, corporate entities and development partners to listen and to lead.

Namibia does not lack talent. What we must no longer lack is the political will, institutional coordination, investment and infrastructure to turn that talent into a sustainable national sporting industry.

Our young people are already running, swimming, boxing and scoring goals for Namibia.

The nation must now run with them.

*Mawiipi Hartley is a Public Policy Advocate, Critical Policy Analyst of the Sports Act and Ministerial Obligations towards Youth and Sport in Namibia.

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