JOHANNESBURG - As South African track and field athletics experiences a boom period, the athletes are starting to find their voice. Athletes in this country have been notoriously silent when it comes to matters in their sport. Even when poor decisions by the sport’s administration adversely affected them, they would invariably remain tight-lipped.
Although the new generation of athletes aren’t exactly vocal in their protests, they have found ways to show their disapproval. Olympic javelin silver medallist Sunette Viljoen has been the exception to the rule in her public stand against the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula.
She has been revered for publicly speaking the truth and exposing Sascoc’s lack of support for South African athletes. Perhaps this is because she is in the twilight of her career and has nothing to lose by taking on the bungling administrators. While Viljoen has taken a stand on social media, the younger generation have used other forms of protest to bring their points across.
We have seen it with world 200m bronze medallist Anaso Jobodwana in the 2015 global showpiece when he deliberately false-started in the 100m heats. Jobodwana was forced to take these measures when Athletics SA (ASA) entered him in the 100m event without his consent. Even though he had requested ASA officials to withdraw him from the race he had no choice but to get into the blocks.
The South African sprinters have expressed their disappointment in ASA for not supplying them with opportunities in the relays.
Recently world 400m record holder Wayde van Niekerk expressed his disappointment with officials by jogging the 400m at the Free State Athletics Championships in Bloemfontein. Van Niekerk had requested to fill his heat after some of the races had open lanes, but they refused. The Olympic gold medallist leisurely paced around the track, posting a pedestrian 48.47 seconds.
It is an encouraging sign that more and more athletes are deciding to stand up for themselves and the sport. The athletes need to realise the sport is nothing without them and they have to get involved when boardroom decisions affect them. The recent issues with the timing system in Bloemfontein was an opportunity for athletes as a collective to speak up.
Over the years many attempts have been made to launch a creditable athletes’ union but they all failed to materialise. Athletes in general aren’t contracted by ASA , which makes it difficult for them to take on the federation. They have to sign agreements when they are selected for national teams, which often includes some sort of a gag that prevents them from speaking ill of the federation.
The athletes are often scared of speaking out against the authorities out of fear they will be excluded from national teams.
Brave athletes like Sunette Viljoen and the silent protesters such as Van Niekerk and Jobodwana are showing the way. Whether they think qualifying times are ridiculously high, or they are being wronged, the athletes should have be able to take a stand.