tubby reddy

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee has expressed its sadness at the news of the passing of its former CEO, Tubby Reddy.

South African athletes to pay their own way to the Rio Olympic Games?

Local media reports claim that an e-mail sent by Hezekiél Sepeng, the athletics coordinator of Athletics SA (ASA), says that athletes will only be allowed to claim for R12 000 of their Olympics flight expenses, despite the cheapest SAA flight to Rio being around R19 000.

tubby reddy

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee has expressed its sadness at the news of the passing of its former CEO, Tubby Reddy.

The SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) find themselves embroiled in controversy yet again after a report in the City Press and Rapport claimed that a number of South Africa’s athletes will have to pay their own way to the Rio Olympic Games.

This is not a new story. Earlier this month, Sascoc issued a statement in which it denied that South African athletes will have to “pay their own way” to the Rio Olympics saying that every “breakaway” athlete will be reimbursed to the tune of R12 000 for any costs incurred for travel.

However, the story has surfaced again with the City Press claiming that “at least three of the country’s top athletes do not know if their coaches will be able to join them” and that Sascoc will only reimburse R12 000 for their flights.

The athletes claim that an email from Hezekiél Sepeng, the athletics coordinator of Athletics SA (ASA) was sent out warning athletes that Sascoc will only contribute R12 000 towards travel costs. Athletes claim that the email from Sepeng states that athletes have to pay their own airfare and will then me reimbursed to the maximum value of R12 000, despite the cheapest SAA flight to Rio being R19 000.

Sepeng told Rapport and the City Press that the letter he sent was “not applicable” to Rio athletes. This could mean that the email sent out was meant for those “breakaway” athletes Sascoc had previously referred to.

However, one of the athletes told Rapport that the process of reimbursement can often be lengthy, saying that they are still waiting for money claimed in February.

Another athlete says there has been no communication from ASA or Sascoc about whether their coaches would be able to travel with them and whether those costs would be covered by Sascoc.

City Press reports:

A training camp in South America, which would have helped to prepare the athletes, was recently cancelled, allegedly because ASA could not afford to pay for it.

According to Sepeng, athletes will be expected to report to a preparation camp in Johannesburg on July 21. Athletes who aren’t in Johannesburg will be expected to make their way to the camp at their own expense.