The pair were approved to join the umbrella body at a meeting in capital city Windhoek.

"The NNOC-CGA is delighted to announce that two more sports have joined the Namibian Olympic family as affiliated member federations," an NNOC statement read.

"The Namibia Handball Federation (NHF) and the Namibia Kickboxing Federation were unanimously accepted as new members during the NNOC Commonwealth Games Association General Assembly.

"Both National Federations are representing IOC recognised sports, affiliated to their respective International Federations and are practicing a real and ongoing sport activity in Namibia."

Handball in Namibia is making impressive progress as just a year before the Federation's acceptance into NNOC, it was officially recognised by the Namibia Sports Commission as a new organisation.

The NHF currently has 210 affiliated members and four clubs.

NHF President Issy Nakamwe has predicted a bright future for his organisation.

"At this moment in time it is safe to say that the northern region has the most prominent players that are showing outstanding skills in the game of handball," he said, as reported by Confidente.

"In the next five years we would want to see the sport played at regional and national level so that we select a team to represent us at future Olympics."

Handball has featured at every summer edition of the Games since Munich 1972 and was also a medal match at Berlin 1936.