sa olympiC tEam
hit by raCE roW
by Cathy Harris transformation policy.” After explaining the
The debate is nothing new in South Africa but stance taken by his Association in terms of
their Olympic hockey teams’ preparations the agreement (at least 6-8 men players of
have been hit by fresh controversy colour selected on merit and 5-8 women), the
surrounding the racial make-up of the men’s Committee wanted hockey to select a team
team for Beijing. for men only on a 50/50 basis and were to put
The furore centres on the Olympic selection it in writing.
criteria in which the SA Sports Confederation Carr added:”The letter has not yet been
and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) decision received. We have submitted the selected
to delay the announcement of the 16- teams to SASCOC on the agreement we had
player teams for Beijing. Butana Komphela, with them and are awaiting their comments.”
chairman of the Parliamentary Sports Following long and protracted negotiations in
SELECTION
Committee, recommended the South Africa the count-down to the 2000 Sydney Olympics
Hockey Association (SAHA) revert to it’s 2007 about the men’s medal chances, they were
agreement in the SA Transformation Policy subsequently denied their place.
Document that there would be no less than Now it appears another ugly row is set to
eight players of colour in a squad of 16. disrupt and unsettle the teams.
However, in well publicised comments last However, senior officials from SAHA insist the
year Prime Minister Mbeki and the Minister Olympics is only part of the bigger picture for
of Sport both indicated the time for quotas in the future of the sport. Carr said:”Beijing is
national teams was over. not the b-all and end-all of SA hockey. There
It is ironic that both captains, Marcia Marescia will be many more hockey activities after it.”
and Bruce Jacobs, are players of colour and Vice-president Sheila Brown added:”We are
when they were asked last year how many only the custodians of hockey. We need to
players of colour would be in the sides they look at the long term and not the short.”
answered five and six respectively. Maybe. But try explaining that to the players
According to local press reports this latest who could have their dreams of playing in the

move also flouts the Olympic Charter and the Olympics crushed. There can be no winners in
FOR
statutes of hockey’s world governing body the this sad situation with the possible exception
FIH, as well as the SA Constitution of any legal experts who might be called on.
Speaking to HKY, Dave Carr, President of the
South Africa Hockey Association said:”Last
week SA Hockey was asked to address the

Parliamentary Sports Portfolio Committee tHE dEbatE
and was taken to task for not adhering to our • Political leaders have claimed that
BEII
sporting success was not as important as
bringing through black sporting talent.
WatCH
• The presence of only two non-white
players in South Africa's World Cup-
The team winning rugby team's starting line-up,
celebrate a 13 years after the end of apartheid, led to
victory with a new debate over the progress of black
j
a South sportsmen and women.
NG
African • Maybe black sporting success stories
dance. >> could be created with the correct funding?

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