Namibia joined Fiji as a nation in doubt for participation at the Rugby world cup later this year due to administrative trouble so bad the IRB has been forced to take over the union.
The IRB have already been in talks with Fiji as they are unhappy that the FRU’s board and executives were pressured to resign by the military government, saying such interference in the sport infringed rugby’s constitution.
In Namibia corruption allegations haev surfaced with claims players claiming that they had not been paid.
The IRB are now “fully running” the Namibia Rugby Union but ironically Fiji are scheduled to meet Namibia on the opening Saturday of the tournament.
IRB head of development and performance Mark Egan has started a month-long investigation into the African union which has run up debts of over half a million US Dollars.
Namibia national coach Johan Diergaardt said he still expected to travel to New Zealand for the world cup.
“The preparations are on track. Some of the players are a bit uncertain, but I don’t think it will affect them,” Diergaardt told the Sunday Star Times.
Egan has put a South African administrator in charge of the union and he says they will be going to the rugby world cup.
“It’s critical that the NRU is well-organised,” he said. “We are asking a small union with limited resources to compete against the best teams in the world.
“The NRU does have some financial problems and there will be careful monitoring of their financial resources.
“The IRB has additional funding and we will help, but our funds are limited and we hope that the Namibian government and private sector will also assist their national team in this important year.”
Namibia have played in three world cups to date but the last two were problematic. In 2003 players claimed that they did not receive money promised them, while management enjoyed luxuries.
IN 2007 the NRU president, Dirk Conradie, along with his whole executive were sent home due to ticket sales irregularities.