The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) has been challenged to clarify its stance on non-racialism, and indicate whether there are any financial benefits associated with requiring its affiliated sporting bodies to apply race-based quotas.
The challenge comes from the Freedom Advocacy Network (FAN), as part of its FreedomToPlay campaign.
FAN says in a statement that it has ‘sent a formal request for access to information’ to (SASCOC) in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, which aims to foster a culture of transparency and accountability in public bodies.
In its request, FAN demands of SASCOC that it disclose all race-based policies that it has adopted and indicate whether there are any financial benefits associated with requiring its affiliated sporting bodies to apply race-based quotas.
SASCOC has until mid-June to respond to FAN’s request for access to information.
FAN’s communication ‘asserts that race has no place in South African sport’.
The statement says: ‘Non-racialism, as enshrined in the Constitution, is a key priority for FAN and the best data and research show that a vast majority of South Africans find common ground on this issue. Young South Africans today should no longer be shackled to the mistakes of the past – a past they bear no responsibility for. Getting racial discrimination and division out of sport is crucial to achieving the free and prosperous non-racial country that ordinary and decent South Africans hope and work for.’
Tiego Thotse, FAN’s operations and advocacy manager, says: ‘South African sport has for long enough been marred by a new wave of viral racialisation, as is evident in the recent atrocious handling of Proteas cricket coach Mark Boucher.’
Thotse adds: ‘FAN will not allow race hustlers to keep racial division and antagonism alive in South African sport. South Africa has before experienced the toxic pariah status that comes with making racial division a foundational principle in sport. FAN, with the help of our supporters and members, will not allow this to happen again.’
[Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/running-track-numbers-fog-1201014/]