Commonwealth-bound athletes sharpen readiness
Namibia’s Commonwealth Games-bound athletes received guidance on anti-doping, safeguarding, injury prevention and mental wellbeing during an athlete-engagement and team-building workshop in Windhoek last weekend.
The Namibia Athletes Commission hosted the event alongside the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) and Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) as part of the country’s preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Games are scheduled to take place from 23 July to 2 August. The workshop was aimed at equipping the athletes with the knowledge and practical skills needed to handle the demands of competing on the international stage.
Sessions covered injury prevention, recovery strategies, anti-doping education, safeguarding against abuse, mental health and wellbeing, media engagement and expected team conduct.
Team Namibia press attaché Elmau Boois said the workshop formed part of efforts to ensure that athletes understood their responsibilities before leaving for Scotland.
“The workshop is basically about equipping the athletes with all the information they need before they head to the Games, and running through the rules, regulations and the dos and don’ts,” Boois said.
Anti-doping awareness
Anti-doping manager Victoria Katukula stressed the importance of educating athletes about prohibited substances and the risks associated with medication.
“Anti-doping education is very important. If an athlete is not educated about anti-doping, they will not understand the dangers of doping. Athletes should know that doping is cheating,” she said.
“They should also know that any medication they take must be safe so that they do not return a positive doping test.”
Swimmer Luke Beukes said the workshop highlighted the importance of teamwork and safeguarding within the national delegation.
“What I learned from this workshop is that, together, anything is possible. We also learned about safeguarding rules and what is allowed and not allowed,” Beukes said.
Athlete Elvis Jr Gaseb said the sessions had also helped him better understand the importance of protecting his mental wellbeing before and during the competition.
“I learned safeguarding techniques and ways to care for my mental wellbeing both before and during the Games,” Gaseb said.
Final preparations
Swimming coach Jean-Michael Leitner said the workshop had provided athletes with useful information on recovery, nutrition and their conduct on social media during the Games.
“The swimmers learned a lot from the workshop in terms of recovery and nutrition, as well as the dos and don’ts of posting on social media during the Commonwealth Games,” Leitner said.
“They have definitely gained a lot of insight and knowledge ahead of the Games. As we get closer, we are becoming more excited. The swimmers, we are becoming more excited. The swimmers are training well and looking forward to competing.”
Athletics team manager Madeleine Kotze said preparations were progressing well and expressed hope that the team would return from Glasgow with medals.
“Our athletes have been preparing well for the Games. I hope we can bring home some medals, [which is] always the biggest reward for a team going to the Commonwealth Games,” she said.
“It was a really useful workshop. We received information on anti-doping and the safeguarding of teams, while the team physiotherapist also spoke to the athletes.”
Assistant boxing coach Lungameni Lazarus said the workshop also allowed athletes from different sporting codes to interact and strengthen their sense of unity.
“The workshop played a big role in bringing the teams together and allowing the athletes to meet and take part in team-building activities,” Lazarus said.
“The teams learned a lot, and it would be beneficial for workshops like this to be held more regularly.”
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