Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The Namibian Correctional Service Football Club (NCS FC) has lost its legal battle against the Namibia Football Association (NFA).
The club had challenged its disqualification from participating in the Namibia Premier League (NPL) following its promotion from the Southern Stream First Division.
The 2024/2025 season saw NCS FC competing in the premier league.
However, their participation was blocked because Khomas Nampol, another club owned by the safety and security ministry, is already part of the league.
The NFA rules and regulations prohibit two clubs with the same owner from competing in the same league.
After hearing arguments from both sides, High Court Judge Kobus Miller informed NCS FC that he dismissed the application.
He also ordered the applicant to cover the first respondent’s costs, including the costs of one instructing and one instructed counsel, and removed the matter from the roll, deeming it final.
Blue Boys from Swakopmund, who finished as runners-up and joined the Namibia Premier Football League 2024/2025 season, replaced NCS FC after they won the Southern Stream First Division and gained promotion to the top flight.
The NFA declared in August that NCS FC remains the winner of the Southern Stream and will retain its prize money.
In 2018, the presence of fellow Namibian Defence Force-owned club Mighty Gunners in the premier league forced Military School Okahandja to sell its status in order to compete.
The team rebranded from a military club to Okahandja United and was allowed to compete in the top-flight league.
Last week, the chief administrator of the Namibia Sports Commission, Freddy Mwiya, said that the idea of creating separate leagues for civilians and security forces would not be entertained.
He spoke at the Netball Namibia annual general meeting at Ongwediva last Saturday.
“It will be a no-go area. Namibia will have one sports sector. It will remain as such. There will be no division,” he said.
He advised sports codes that want to keep security forces out of their leagues to seek guidance.
Currently, the teams from the uniformed forces and corporate entities dominate netball, football, boxing, and volleyball leagues.
