OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 11.30am.
ATHLETICS South Africa general secretary Banele Sindani said on Tuesday that South Africa’s Commonwealth Games athletics victories will mark a sea change in the relationship between athletes and administrators.
“We have reached a turning point in South African athletics after the medals we won at the Games and the manner in which our athletes excelled in Zurich,” said Sindani in Johannesburg on the return of South Africa’s world half-marathon team.
“We have never in ASA sat down with [our athletes] and really tried to understand their language — tried to grasp exactly what their needs and aspirations are. We need to get closer to planning for performance and the execution of those plans.
“Better rewards must also be forthcoming for them. We want to create a contract system similar to that which exists between the players and administrators in rugby and cricket. Negotiations are under way with sponsors for our top athletes, and we will be making an an announcement soon.”
Sindani was highly critical of government sports administrators who criticised the lack of black athletes winning medals in Kuala Lumpur, where Hezekiel Sepeng (silver, 800m) was the only black athlete garlanded among 11 athletes.
“These people who criticise are not looking at athletics in its totality. They don’t see the emergence of black junior sprinters at the world junior championships and the world youth games in Moscow. They also choose to ignore this team that has returned from Zurich, which is black among the men.
“If we have to make our mark in the beginning in the 800m and on the road, then so be it. It’s impossible to expect a total onslaught right the way through track and field.
“[Our black athletes] will come through in the long term. But in the meantime, let us be proud of what our athletes are achieving, especially in the field events.”
Sindani predicted the end of Kenya’s domination of international road running, pointing out that all of South Africa’s team are under 26, and saying all the local athletes need do is develop comparable mental fitness.