You are not alone, Sunette

29 August 2016 - 10:27 By Prof Ross Tucker

We've never had the pleasure of meeting, but I am writing this letter to congratulate you. I am sure that after your Olympic silver medal you have been inundated with congratulations from thousands of South Africans, and you may add me to that list. Dear Sunette,What I really want to congratulate you on is your courageous stance against the mismanagement of high- performance sport in SA, and the way this disadvantages our most talented athletes . You have become Sascoc's biggest nightmare - someone brave enough to be outspoken and truthful, but too good for them to drop, shun and silence.I know how much courage it takes to speak up against the system. I know the consequence is to become an outcast, labelled as unpatriotic, arrogant and ungrateful.I think those who criticise because they want to make things better are the opposite of all those labels. But I know how difficult it is to criticise the powers that run sport.I think of journalist Graeme Joffe, who left South Africa facing death threats for trying to expose their incompetence and corruption.Accusations have been levelled against you over the past week. People have said you should be grateful for what you have, and that you should be asking business and not the government for help .Two things about that. First, I am sure that you are very grateful. It's possible to be grateful for what one has, and still justifiably frustrated when what you need and is promised never arrives.Second, I'd bet 90 out of 100 South Africans could name five Springboks or Proteas, but I'd be surprised if 10 could name athletes in other sports. The sports pages of our newspapers are dominated by three sports. And that's what sponsors care about - exposure, awareness and return on investment.So while any corporate support is great, I think it is right that the government helps Olympic athletes to excel - this is how it works all over the world.I hope you will continue to be courageous because I think you're absolutely right - our sports administrators fail our athletes through their gross mismanagement of high- performance sport .Steve Jobs said: "Hire the best software developers and engineers, and then be a giant sh**-deflecting umbrella to allow them to work without worrying about the sh** that we all know gets in the way."I think the same principle applies to elite sport. High- performance sports systems should identify the best athletes, then "hire" the best coaches and support staff, and then "protect" that partnership from all the challenges and obstacles in its way.Their role is to facilitate excellence. I think you understand this, Sunette, and what you voiced over the past year, and especially last week, is the reality that South African athletes do not receive this "protection". Instead, we play "Hunger Games" - every athlete for themselves, surviving in a world in which one person's gain is another's loss. We routinely fail to set up collaborative systems, and we never create aspirational environments for present and future athletes.And I know that you are not alone, Sunette.Just this week, I spoke to three other athletes who share your frustration. They are all justified. One athlete had to sell a smartphone given to him by Olympic sponsors just to pay his bills. I know one who was receiving funding, then got injured, and found his funding pulled, at the very moment it was needed most.That's not protection. It's exploitation. It's the athletes who are thrown overboard, while others have to do the work of rowing a boat overloaded with passengers.So keep going Sunette, and to all the other athletes out there, and to the media, be emboldened by this brave athlete. Change demands courage and cohesion...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.