NAMIBIAN players were denied the opportunity to attract lucrative deals abroad because the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) failed to award Namibia victory in their case against Burkina Faso, according to the Namibia Football Players Union (NAFPU).

Nafpu Secretary General Johannes Congo Hindjou said he felt aggrieved that Namibian footballers could not showcase their talent at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, which is keenly observed by scouts from the leading leagues.

Last month, Fifa fined Burkina Faso and annulled their result against Congo in a 2014 World Cup qualifier for fielding an ineligible player - one Herve Zengue.

Caf - and then Cas - ruled against Namibia when they launched a similar protest against Burkina Faso last year.

Namibia had their complaint - for Burkina Faso's use of Zengue in two 2012 Afcon qualifying matches against them - thrown out twice by Caf, while Cas upheld the football body's decision in an appeal.

Hindjou backed Namibia Football Association president John Muinjo's earlier assertion that they got a raw deal.

"Cas and Caf have taken away chance of our Brave Warriors to be part of the last Nations Cup in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea for reasons only known by them," Hindjou said.

"The players union is so disappointed because our players were robbed of the chance of getting contracts and seen by agents in that tournament.

"Fifa is always promoting fair play on and off the field, but in this case it was really not fair play at all.

"Caf must stop seeing some countries as small nations and must work on how to level the playing field in their decisions so that soccer in Africa can grow."