NFA congratulates Naris on appointment to FIFPro board

WINDHOEK, 10 APR – The Namibia Football Association (NFA) Women’s Desk has congratulated Brave Gladiators defender and vice-captain, Stacey Naris, on her appointment to the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) African Division Board.
Naris is the first woman to sit on the continental and international board, representing the interests of all women in football in Africa for the next four years.
Her appointment to the African board of FIFPro automatically means she will also form part of the women’s committee of FIFPro International.
Speaking to Nampa on the sidelines of a media conference where Naris’s appointment was announced, NFA Women’s Desk Chairperson Jacky Gertze said they are excited about the news.
“This is what we want, this is what we need and this is what we have been working for. When we prepare the girls we not only prepare them for the national team and to win games, we also want to see them being competent citizens,” Gertze said.
She added that they also hope to see their players make a career out of football and to be empowered for life after football.
Gertze said the Women’s Desk’s philosophy is “sports for development”, hence their excitement at the appointment of Naris.
She congratulated the Namibia Football Players Union (Nafpu) for spotting the potential in one of the senior players in the national team and developing her.
“She will now be an example to other national team players and women in Namibia as they will see that in football, there is a possibility to move forward in sports,” she added.
Naris is Nafpu corporate communications officer since 2015.
NFA Secretary-General Barry Rukoro, meanwhile, said it was no surprise to him that Naris has achieved her current status as she has proven her capabilities over the years.
He added that her appointment is a milestone to the Namibian nation as this is one way of emancipating the game of football, women’s football and women in general in the country.
“Knowing the dynamics in international sports politics, I congratulate Nafpu for a job well done. To be able to take a Namibian with the little resources you have, must have taken a lot of lobbying,” he said.
He called on Naris to represent not only women, but the whole African continent on the world stage with pride, commitment, love and a strong sense of responsibility.

NAMPA