A faction of Water Polo South Africa started a movement to break off from Swimming South Africa (SSA).
South African newspaper Daily Maverick reported that a group from the water polo governing body met this month in Cape Town to discuss leaving SSA. 96% of the 100+ attendees voted to secede. Faction meetings in other provinces of the country are set to happen soon.
The faction pointed to a 2024 Olympic snub this year as the final straw of several issues with SSA, the overarching governing body for all aquatic sports in the country. The organization did not allow the men’s or women’s water polo teams to go to this summer’s Olympics. They met the World Aquatics Olympic qualification criteria as the highest ranked African team. However, SSA’s internal criteria was that teams would have to place in the top 12 at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, which neither team did.
For the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, South Africa’s water polo teams were made to fund their own way through the games.
The faction is upset with not just the treatment of Olympic players but of the entire sport. They shared a document that listed several grievances with SSA, including a lack of financial support, transparency, water polo representation in decision-making, and long-term strategic goals for the sport.
The faction meeting also follows the cancellation of a tournament that was supposed to serve as a last-chance qualification for the national team. This excluded several premiere players from the Cape Town area from a chance at making the team.
The secession faction has significant opposition within the water polo community. Among the dissenters are water polo players who worry about missed career opportunities, particularly during the transitional phase.
Swimming South Africa is dealing with conflict from other sports under its umbrella as well. They are in a legal dispute with artistic swimmers Jessica Hayes-Hill and Laura Strugnell after barring them from competing at the Paris Olympics.
Thanks for publishing this and hopefully now people understand why our athletes struggle on the world stage. The athletes are good, but the mother body that has captured and runs our sport Swimming South Africa does not allow the athletes the opportunity to prepare for these events. Take the upcoming World Cup, Div 2 in Turkyie in Dec 2024 (less than 3 weeks away).
No Coaches appointed
No training camps or alignment camps in the last year
No squads announced or training in the last year
Regional Coaches cannot run training camps for players
SA Coaches have NO SAY in the selection of players – in fact they are excluded from selection completely.
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What a mess South Africa is
No South Africa – it is the Mother Body SwimSA and their “elected officials” who are actively trying to destroy this sport.