At the end of June, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) was infused with a much-needed investment in the form of R70 million(~$4.9 million) given by country’s National Lotteries Commission. The cash-strapped organization was reportedly starting to panic about how it would send its members to Rio without the monetary assistance.
Said SASCOC President Gideon Sam of the situation,“I am happy now that we can go to Rio. There was doubt as to whether any of these board members would go to Rio. I said if there’s no money, there’s no trip … With what we’ve got we can assist our athletes now.”
However, despite the benefaction, South African athletes hoping to medal in Rio are still reportedly stuck footing most of their own Olympic bills. Three athletes, wishing to remain anonymous, told The Rapport that the SASCOC will be contributing just R12000 ($800) towards airline tickets, in most cases not enough to cover the entire costs of a trip. The competitors are reportedly required to pay their own airfare with SASCOC reimbursing them at a later date, a practice which hasn’t run smoothly in the past.
One of the athletes commented to the press that he is “still waiting for money I claimed in February”, leading him to ask, “Where do these millions go if we [the athletes] never see any of it?”
There are also reports of the SASCOC not responding to inquiries concerning whether or not coaches will be able to accompany their athletes and, if so, who would cover the costs. Says the anonymous source, “We have to book flights and organize accommodation, but we’re not getting any answers from them. We’ve become used to having to compete overseas without our coaches, but if they wanted to make it easier for us to win medals, they would have approved this long ago.”
On July 3rd, SASCOC Chief Executive Tubby Reddy publicly said, “At the last Olympics in London, athletes who traveled on their own were reimbursed R10 000, while this year we are paying them R12 000. It is strange that this matter is only being raised this year. The reports in the media implying that all athletes have to pay for their flights are a complete distortion of the facts.”
Although not a member of this year’s South African contingent headed to Rio, 2004 Olympic Champion Roland Schoeman has taken to social media to voice his concern and dissatisfaction with the situation.
S.African Olympians required to contribute to get themselves to @Rio2016_en Absolutely unacceptable. Where's the money going? Not 2 athletes
— Roland Schoeman (@Rolandschoeman) July 9, 2016
This is disgraceful! This country’s leaders n any sphere only care about themselves. The Olympic leadership should not be going to Rio when they are not competing. The funds should be going to making the athletes’ participation smoother. They are always quick to claim victory for the country as If they contributed in it when they do everything to thwart the athletes’ success.
And the administrators do this kind of stuff with a smile on their faces. They have no shame.
Another example of a country’s Olympic Committee putting its leadership ahead of its athletes. Totally unacceptable and a major reason why the Olympic movement will suffer in the coming years.
That and ineffective doping organizations and courts letting proven “dopers” compete in the Games. This is the definition of insanity.