Namibian Paralympic gold medalist Ananias Shikongo disqualified from Commonwealth Games due to licensing dispute

This disqualification stems from a prolonged power struggle within the leadership of the Namibia National Paralympic Committee NNPC, which led to the suspension of its general secretary, Michael Hamukwaya, late last year. Hamukwaya denies wrongdoing but confirmed he refused the new board access to register Namibian athletes. The committee did not pay necessary fees to the International Paralympic Committee at the end of 2025 and did not register athletes, resulting in no Namibian Paralympic athlete being licensed since January 1.

This situation jeopardizes opportunities for Namibian athletes to qualify for Los Angeles 2028. World Para Athletics WPA spokesperson Rafael Maranhao confirmed that athletes must hold a valid license to participate in WPA sanctioned competitions and that Shikongo did not have a license for the 2026 WPA season. The Namibia National Olympic Committee NNOC, which funded the team's preparations, expressed concern, stating they committed resources assuming eligibility requirements were met.

Shikongo, a silver medalist at Tokyo 2020 and gold medalist in Rio 2016, was unaware he lacked a 2026 WPA license before the Games. The International Paralympic Committee emailed all national committees on November 4, 2025, to open licensing for 2026. The dispute centers on access to the athl