I am sure most of us that are interested in sport really enjoyed the recent Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The coverage was incredible and you could not want for more about learning about the different sports that don’t usually get front page coverage. Paris, a city that all South African rugby fans have a love for because the Springboks have won the Rugby World Cup there in 2007 and 2023, was shown off in all its glory. There were not many new world records that were set but still there were some great performances by individuals and teams. But what happened to all the medals that we had high hopes for from the South African competitors. Just over a handful. Not good enough for a sport loving country like ours. Some people expressed their very valid viewpoints.
A banker, academic and thought leader said: “Now that the breath-taking Paris 2024 Olympic Games has run its race some pressing questions need to be asked, and stock taken of the results.”
“How is it that despite some stunning performances from our superb gold medal African athletes such as Letsile Tebogo, Tatjana Smith, Beatrice Chebet and 10 others against all odds, the total medal count for a continent of 1.5 billion people is 13 gold medals (the same as South Korea with 51 million people) and 39 total medals (less than Italy with 60 million people)?”
“How is it that Australia with 27 million people, less than half of South Africa’s population, got 18 gold medals (vs 1 for SA) and 53 total medals (vs 6 for SA), placing 4th overall?”
“Does Olympic sports excellence have something to do with the human and economic development indicators of the country and the continent? Consider that the size of Australia’s GDP, with historically similar human and mineral resources, is now $1.4 trillion whilst South Africa’s is $0.4 trillion. South Africa’s population is over twice Australia’s, yet our economy is over 3.5 times smaller, and our total Olympic medal count is around 9 times less.”
“Within Africa, with a total size of GDP across the continent of $3.1 trillion, results were uneven. Kenya with 4 golds and 11 total medals outperformed, whilst Nigeria came away without a single medal. Other big African economies such as South Africa and Egypt clearly have upside room to improve.”
“A deep analysis needs to be commissioned by global, African and individual country governments and sports bodies, to get under the hood of what the issues are, and most importantly to implement an action plan to remedy Africa’s underperformance. This action plan should include required institutional and organisational reforms, and investing much needed human and financial resources.”
“I ask our sports stars here, what are the solutions? What should we be doing differently to provide the support to our future athletes?”
“Africa, and it’s individual countries, like South Africa, have vast human talent, it is blessed with the perfect climate for sports, and it has vast potential to significantly improve its performance in future Olympic Games.”
“For me, and so many hundreds of millions around the world, watching the Olympics was an absolute joy. Let us hope our African athletes and human spirit can shine ever more brightly in the sun of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.”
“Congratulations to all our fabulous African athletes. Nothing can dampen your indomitable spirit! Can we not unite to run a medal-winning campaign to target 100 medals for African athletes and nations in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles?”
A TV sports news presenter, professional event host and MC and a voice over artist replied: “While it is true that we (South Africa/Africa) outnumber many others and, no doubt we have incredibly gifted athletes, the reality is that it is mostly economic, as you’ve quoted in your post here. Great Britain spends about £100 million on a gold medal. South Africa spends R100 million on its entire team! Those are not 100% accurate figures but you get the point.”
“A quick glance at the medals table also reveals that the G7 are all there in the Top 12. China and other high-income countries complete the remaining five slots. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Those countries have money to spend on things like rowing, archery and shooting.”
“Natural talent alone is not enough. Most of our South African/African medallists achieve despite the system, not because of any system that is in place and I am not sure that is ever going to change.”
“It’s not a level playing field at all. An accident of birth basically determines the likelihood of winning an Olympic medal and quite frankly, if you’re outside of the G7, China and the next 10 or so top-performing economies, it is legitimately worth asking, what is even the point of participating?”
