ATHLETICS
Martin Gillingham
South Africa’s top athletics official has issued a blunt ultimatum to the government, claiming: “If you want us to bring back medals from major championships then you have to show us the money.”
Athletics South Africa (ASA) came under heavy fire following our athletes’ performances at the world championships in August where high jumper Hestrie Cloete and the men’s 4x100m relay squad were the only medal winners. Indeed, until their performances in the final hour of the final day in Edmonton, the South Africa team appeared to be heading for their worst showing at a global event.
But now ASA chief executive Banele Sindani has sprung into action with an ambitious project that he believes will give his association the best opportunity of unearthing and nurturing young talent as well as providing the best environment for South Africa’s existing stars to prepare for the world championships and Olympic Games.
“As a country we need to decide what we want to do and where our priorities lie,” Sindani says. “If we believe that recreation is a priority and that winning medals at the world championships is important then we have to be given assistance.”
Sindani’s project appears to be loosely based on the Australian model where the Institute of Sport is credited with having lifted the country from its nadir at the Olympic Games in 1976 to being among the world’s elite by the time Sydney hosted the Games almost a quarter of a century later.
Of course, Sindani envisages something on an altogether different scale to the Australian institute. He wants to tie up an arrangement with an existing university with not only good athletics facilities but also suitable accommodation. There is no shortage of candidates with campuses in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth and even Stellenbosch having the necessary infrastructure. It also goes without saying that Sindani is looking for an “academy” that caters just for track and field athletes.
Sindani says: “We’re looking for somewhere that can cater for up to 25 people. There will be between 10 and 20 athletes, a head and assistant coach as well as a secretary.
Also on Sindani’s shopping list is convenient access to a physical testing centre and medical support such as that available to other sports at the Sports Science Institute in Cape Town. “I have a very strong feeling that if you want to make an impact you’ve got to go the route of a permanent centre,” he says.
“In South Africa we have athletes with great potential but for all we know they may be living in shacks and eating a poor diet. For reasons like that it’s important we become involved in the management of their whole lifestyle.”
The athletics academy would be run by the national coach. Such a person does not yet exist though Sindani’s announcement a fortnight ago that he is searching for ASA’s first head coach is an illustration of just how proactive his response has been to a poor world championship for South African athletes.