Emilia Ekandjo and Shayna Schutte are being prevented by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) from taking part at Birmingham 2022 as they do not have licences necessary to compete in the Games.

The situation stems back to a dispute more than three years ago over who is the legally recognised governing body for gymnastics in Namibia.

The Namibian Gymnastics Federation (NGF) is the body recognised by the Namibian National Olympic Committee (NNOC) and the Namibian Sports Commission, the Government institution that is the umbrella and regulatory organisation of all sports codes in the country.

But FIG instead recognises Namibian Gymnastics (NamGym), a breakaway group set up by former NGF President Sonja Olivier.

Olivier had claimed that Namibian Gymnastics was the sole and authentic body of the sport in Namibia, but earlier this week the High Court ruled against her, saying that it did not have any legal standing.

NNOC President Abner Xoagub welcomed the judgement.

"We are happy that justice has been served - integrity and ethics in sports governance is key," he said.

"The athletes are the focus of our mission as the Olympic Movement in Namibia.

"There is only one recognised Federation responsible for gymnastics in Namibia and that is the Namibia Gymnastics Federation."

Valereis Geldenhuys, Honorary President of NamGym, the group not recognised in Namibia, is a member of the FIG Gender Equality Commission.

According to the NamGym Facebook page, she attended a meeting in Lausanne, where the world governing body is based, on Wednesday (July 27) - the same day that the High Court in Windhoek ruled her Federation had no legal standing in the country. 

Xoagub has spoken to FIG President Morinari Watanabe on the telephone about the situation and Namibia's Sports Minister Agnes Tjongarero has written to the world governing body's secretary general Nicolas Buompane.

There are growing fears, however, that the issue will not be resolved in time for teenagers Ekandjo and Schutte to compete in the rhythmic gymnastics, which is due to start at Birmingham next Thursday (August 4).

"This situation has become totally unbearable because two athletes are being refused participation at the Games due to the fact FIG have refused them licences," NNOC secretary general Joan Smit told insidethegames here.

"FIG have refused to recognise the Namibian Gymnastics Federation even after a court of law ruled in our favour."

It is the second eligibility row that FIG has been involved in over participation in these Commonwealth Games.

Last month, following political pressure, it overturned an original decision which would have seen Commonwealth Games champion Rhys McClenaghan and two other gymnasts barred from competing for Northern Ireland.

McClenaghan, winner of the men's pommel horse gold at Gold Coast 2018, Eamon Montgomery and Ewan McAteer were given special dispensation to compete at Birmingham 2022 after having previously competed for Ireland.

Other sports had routinely allowed athletes to represent Ireland in international competition and Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games due to the exceptional circumstances arising out of the Good Friday Agreement, which brought an end to the Troubles.

Namibia’s Ekandjo is desperate for the row to be settled in time to compete at Birmingham 2022.

"I would like the support from our country and around the world to help us to go and participate in the Commonwealth Games and represent our country," Ekandjo told the Windhoek Observer. 

FIG failed to respond to a request from insidethegames for a comment.