Johannesburg - The CEO of Special Olympics South Africa, Ancilla Smith, has urged the government to show more support for its athletes following their remarkable performance at the Berlin Olympic Games.
Team SA walked away with a staggering 49 medals, which included 22 gold medals, 20 silver medals and seven bronze medals at the Games, which came to an end last weekend.
Despite their performances over the years, Special Olympics SA has struggled to get the support it needs.
“We are a sport-for-development organisation and serve close to 60 000 athletes across all nine provinces in South Africa,” said Smith.
“It is not just about sending a national team to the World Games but about addressing the challenges (so) that our athletes and other people with an intellectual disability in South Africa have the same access to sport, health, education and employment as everyone else.
“There are an estimated three million people with intellectual disabilities in South Africa and we are the only organisation working across the board to give them access to not only sport but health, fitness, skills and leadership development, early childhood development, inclusive sport, amongst other opportunities, as well as providing support for their families. We are working towards creating a more inclusive environment for all and we need the support of government, civil society and corporates to achieve this.”
Team SA claimed medals in a number of disciplines including swimming, athletics , basketball, soccer, table tennis, golf, equestrian, and ten-pin bowling.
Smith says she was delighted with Team SA’s performance at the Berlin Games.
“We are very proud of our team. The Special Olympics World Games provide a platform for over 7 000 athletes from 180 countries to showcase their skills and abilities and the performance of Team SA is a significant accomplishment not only for athletes but for the country as a whole.”
She says the team didn’t set any target this time, but hoped to match their stunning performance at the 2019 Abu Dhabi World Games.
“Our quota for the Berlin Games was smaller than our quota for the UAE Games. We were only able to take 62 athletes as opposed to 72 in 2019 but we are happy with our results.”
She says it took plenty of hard work and dedication from the athletes to achieve their impressive tally in Berlin this year.
“The key to Team SA’s successful performance in Berlin, Germany, lies in the organisation’s approach, the dedication of the athletes, and the support of our coaches. Special Olympics SA has fostered an environment that embraces athletes of all abilities, promoting physical fitness, courage, teamwork and the joy of competition, and our athletes have shown an incredible level of dedication and discipline, demonstrating that determination can overcome any challenge.
“Their personal stories of triumph are an inspiration for many. Our success generally as an organisation is based on an incredible mix of passionate and committed staff, coaches, family members, volunteers and, of course, our athletes.”
She says the achievements by the team are made even more remarkable considering the challenges each athlete faces.
“The success of an athlete with an intellectual disability in South Africa is a testament to extraordinary courage, resilience and perseverance.”
“These athletes face a dual challenge – the societal stigma and misconceptions related to their disability, as well as the socio-economic hurdles prevalent in the country.”
In addition to the physical demands of training, she says, they have to navigate barriers such as limited access to resources, lack of sports equipment and playing fields, fewer opportunities to participate and compete than mainstream athletes and very limited access to professional sports- specific coaching.
“They may struggle with the psychological aspects of their disabilities, which can affect their ability to focus, learn and adapt. Despite these obstacles, their achievement in sports is not just a personal victory, but a source of national pride, setting a powerful example for others.”
“They competed against close to 7 000 athletes from over 180 countries; winning a medal at a major world event like that is a remarkable achievement for any athlete.”
Smith has also revealed how the team celebrated their stunning performance at the Berlin Games.
“The team enjoyed a fabulous evening celebrating at a street party held at the historic Brandenburg Gate where the closing ceremonies took place. We also received a great welcome at OR Tambo when we arrived back.
“We were absolutely thrilled when the Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with a Disability, Dr Nkosozana Dlamini Zuma, announced that President Cyril Ramaphosa would host the team at the Union Buildings. This is the first time the team will be honoured in this way and our athletes are very excited.
Smith says she was also impressed by the support of fans during the Games.
“The World Games in Berlin were very well attended and at most events there was a good turnout.
“A number of family members travelled to support our athletes and we were delighted to have the Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Ms Nocawe Mafu, the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture from North West Province, Ms Keneetswe Mosenogi, our chairperson Dr Mathews Phosa and Sosa ambassador Mr Mark Fish on the ground to support our athletes as well.
“Having that kind of support at the Games really boosted our athletes’ morale.”
Smith also revealed that athletes were not given any special incentives after winning medals, however, she hopes that that changes once the organisation is given more support from the government and corporates.
“We are hoping that in the future this will change, as it is very demoralising for our athletes to represent their country proudly and then return to the same challenges they faced before.”
“The majority of our athletes are unemployed because even after 12 years of school they do not receive any form of national certification that would enable them to enter the formal job market. But they still find a way to continue to participate in Special Olympics and to train and compete. For many of them, the Special Olympics is the only opportunity that they have to participate.”
Smith says they were fortunate enough to be financially backed by the National Lotteries Commission for this year’s Games.
“They have been supporting our organisation for a number of years as well as the national Department of Sport who have partnered with us, (alongside) the provincial departments of sport and education in North West, KZN, Eastern Cape and Free State.
“But we still need to raise funds as well to enable us to cover all the costs. We also ran with our Adopt an Athlete campaign, which we have implemented successfully for our last three World Games.
“It is a challenge for every World Games to raise the funds required but we have been very blessed thus far to receive the support that we have.”