Olympic Solidarity funding targets high-performance development and LA28 qualification

Namibia’s women’s rugby Sevens programme has received a major financial boost on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with a USD50 000 Olympic Solidarity Team Support Grant officially handed over to the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU).

The grant was handed over by Ms Anri Parker, CEO of the Namibia National Olympic Committee & Commonwealth Games Association (NNOC-CGA), to Christel “CJ” Kotze, a pioneer of women’s rugby and Rugby Africa “Unstoppable” ambassador.

The funding is specifically aimed at strengthening the Namibia Women’s Rugby Sevens team, supporting athlete development, technical and coaching assistance, high-performance training camps and international competition exposure.

The initiative forms part of a broader effort to establish a sustainable pathway for Namibian female athletes to compete at the highest international level, with LA28 qualification identified as a key long-term objective. The investment also aligns with the priorities of Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), particularly in the areas of youth empowerment, gender equality and the development of sustainable sporting opportunities.

For the NRU, the support comes at an important time as women’s rugby continues to grow and Namibia seeks to build greater depth and international competitiveness.

The NNOC-CGA said early investment is critical to ensuring that female athletes receive the preparation and opportunities required to perform on the world stage. The partnership between the NNOC-CGA and NRU is therefore not simply about funding a team for individual competitions.

It represents an attempt to build a structured high-performance pathway that can identify, develop and retain talented Namibian women athletes.

By Rudi Bowe