18/08/2026
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๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
Selection Committee, and MXoAN 2026 Organising Committee would ordinarily not discuss matters relating to an individual rider publicly. However, following statements now made in the public domain regarding Team Namibia selection and reinstatement, we believe it is necessary to clarify the facts and ensure that an accurate account is available.
๐๐๐ซ๐ค ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐๐ข๐.
Following his withdrawal and his subsequent request to reconsider that decision, considerable time and effort were spent discussing whether an opportunity for his reinstatement could be provided.
Contrary to the impression now being created, the door was not simply closed.
Mark was given multiple opportunities to return and demonstrate his commitment to Team Namibia, the sport, and the development of motocross in Namibia.
It is therefore incorrect to create the impression that the commitments for reinstatement were accepted in full, that everything required was subsequently complied with, and that Mark was nevertheless simply denied the opportunity to represent Namibia after his withdrawal.
What followed was an attempt to negotiate out of certain agreed obligations rather than fulfil them as agreed.
It is equally important to clarify the position regarding Mark's subsequent request to participate as an Individual (White Bib) Rider.
The FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations is, first and foremost, a Country Team Championship โ it is not an individual championship. Individual Rider participation is supplementary to the official national team structure and is subject to the approval and authorisation of the rider's Federation.
Team Namibia's official complement in the MX1 class has not been filled and positions remain available within the national team structure. Mark's request to participate as an Individual (White Bib) Rider has therefore not been approved.
Mark was not a rider who was overlooked or never selected for Team Namibia. He was selected, accepted his selection and thereafter voluntarily withdrew. His subsequent non-reinstatement does not create an automatic entitlement to participate as an Individual Rider or provide an alternative route around the national team selection process.
The Selection Committee has an obligation to act consistently and in the best interests of the entire Namibian team and the sport, not any one individual.
Representing Namibia is a privilege. It carries responsibilities that extend beyond being the fastest rider lining up behind a starting gate. Commitment, conduct, teamwork, professionalism, reliability, cooperation and giving back to the development of the sport all form part of that responsibility.
Selection for a Country Team Championship cannot be determined by riding ability or performance alone. We respect Mark's original decision to withdraw and his right to speak publicly about his disappointment. However, where the circumstances surrounding the matter are discussed publicly, we are equally entitled to ensure that the facts are accurately represented.
This decision was not made lightly, nor was it made without giving Mark multiple opportunities to rectify the situation. The outcome followed his voluntary withdrawal, subsequent discussions regarding reinstatement, the commitments discussed during the Zoom meeting, and what transpired thereafter. Matters such as these involve more than one perspective.
We therefore encourage anyone forming an opinion to consider the full circumstances and verify the facts from all parties involved before making assumptions or drawing conclusions based on one account alone.
The Selection Committee has deliberately refrained from publicly discussing the details of this matter out of respect for those involved. That restraint should not, however, be interpreted as an absence of facts or as confirmation of a one-sided account.
The matter is now considered closed.
Our focus remains where it belongs: supporting Team Namibia, welcoming the African motocross community to our country, and delivering an MXoAN 2026 that Namibia can be proud of.
We wish every rider competing at Gallina Motocross Park a safe and successful event.
Windhoek Motocross Club
MXoAN 2026 Selection Committee
MXoAN 2026 Organising Committee
