A Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) team, which is set to represent Namibia at the upcoming cage fighting contest, is racing against time to secure funding for an upcoming international competition.
The team, which consists of six highly skilled athletes, is set to compete in the Mixed Martial Arts World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, but it is in desperate need of sponsorship to cover its expenses.
The team, which consists of Veja Hinda, Geraldo Bok, Ronaldo Feris, Damian Müller, Arno Jacobs and Stefan Gilge, is set to depart for the competition on 8 February 2023 but currently lacks the necessary funding to cover travel, accommodations and transport for the athletes and their coach.
Team manager Natascha De Sousa said the cost of the trip is too much for the individual athletes to bear, and they are hoping corporate sponsors and generous individuals can assist them in reaching their goal.
“Each fighter is expected to raise an amount of N$50 000, which is too much for some of them. Some fighters don’t have jobs, but they have potential. So, the burden is on us, the coach and the team manager, to source funding to ensure that the team travels to compete in the competition,” she said.
The championships will feature six weight divisions for female athletes and 10 divisions for male athletes, with Namibia currently ranked 33rd out of 77 nations in the senior category.
The team is appealing to corporate companies and individuals to support them to ensure it competes in the tournament.
“The whole situation has proven to be difficult, but we are hoping for good Samaritans to come on board and sponsor our team,” said De Sousa.
The team is dedicated and determined to compete; they have been training hard for this competition to showcase their skills.
The athletes have been putting in extra hours of training and making sacrifices to ensure they are in their best form for the competition.
“It is important to note that the cost of travel and accommodation for the athletes and coach is not the only expense. The team also needs to cover expenses like equipment, training camps and other various expenses. They can contact us at +26481 4234160 to support,” added De Soussa.
- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na
Namibia’s Africa Mix Martial Arts featherweight champion Veja Hinda, pictured after winning his fight at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation Africa Championship, held in Johannesburg last year.
Photo: Nampa