Team SA's bright start continued elsewhere. In surfing, Jordy Smith advanced to the third round after winning his heat against Rio Waida of Indonesia with a score of 9.50 points. Matthew McGillivray, however, was edged out by Kauli Vaast of France, scoring a total of 10.67 points to Vaast's 14.03.
At home, ANC national spokesperson Zuko Godlimpi praised the South African athletes, highlighting their dedication and the pride they instil in the nation.
“As they step onto the global stage, they embody the legacy forged by their predecessors in Tokyo 2020,” he said. “Despite the excitement, the ANC’s stance on the political situation in Gaza is a point of contention.”
Reflecting on Nelson Mandela's famous words, “Sport has the power to change the world”, Godlimpi emphasised that sports should transcend boundaries and inspire unity, not be used as a platform for “sportswashing”.
Bright start for Team SA in Paris amid ANC's call for exclusion of Israel
Multimedia reporter
Image: Image: Team South Africa/X
As the 2024 Olympic Games get into full swing, Team South Africa is basking in the glow of national pride with their impressive performances — but behind the celebrations a major political debate is brewing in Paris.
With 139 athletes representing South Africa at the Games, the Blitzboks picked up Team SA’s first medal by beating Australia 26-19 in the third-place playoff match of the rugby sevens to take bronze at Stade de France on Saturday.
On Monday mountain-biker Alan Hatherly won South Africa’s second medal, taking bronze in the cross-country event.
There are high expectations for the swimming team with Tatjana Smith having advanced to the women's 100m breaststroke final with the fastest time in the semifinals on Sunday. Pieter Coetze finished second in his 100m backstroke semifnal and Aimee Canny finished fifth in her 200m freestyle heat.
Smith and Coetze contest their finals on Monday night, with the former tipped for a medal.
Team SA's bright start continued elsewhere. In surfing, Jordy Smith advanced to the third round after winning his heat against Rio Waida of Indonesia with a score of 9.50 points. Matthew McGillivray, however, was edged out by Kauli Vaast of France, scoring a total of 10.67 points to Vaast's 14.03.
At home, ANC national spokesperson Zuko Godlimpi praised the South African athletes, highlighting their dedication and the pride they instil in the nation.
“As they step onto the global stage, they embody the legacy forged by their predecessors in Tokyo 2020,” he said. “Despite the excitement, the ANC’s stance on the political situation in Gaza is a point of contention.”
Reflecting on Nelson Mandela's famous words, “Sport has the power to change the world”, Godlimpi emphasised that sports should transcend boundaries and inspire unity, not be used as a platform for “sportswashing”.
In the statement, the ANC called for Israel's exclusion from the Olympics, urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to take a stand against what it views as crimes against humanity.
“The ANC resounds its call: Israel must be excluded from the 2024 Olympics. We join a global chorus demanding an end to sportswashing of crimes against humanity,” it said.
Godlimpi urged athletes, fans and sponsors to support this stance, declaring: “No normal sport in an abnormal society.”
IOC president Thomas Bach stressed that the Olympics should symbolise peace rather than be a platform for political sanctions.
“We will have a very complex geopolitical situation with wars and conflicts, but in such times the Olympic Games and their values and the mission of the Olympic Games are maybe more important than ever. Because our mission, having been given to us by Pierre de Coubertin (cofounder of the IOC), is to make the Olympic Games a symbol of peace. Never sanction athletes for actions of their governments,” he said.
Many people on social media commented that the IOC is biased for treating Russia, which invaded and has been at war with Ukraine, differently to Israel. Bach said the situations are different.
“The Russian situation is very different from the Israeli-Palestine situation and we have maybe a little advantage over politics here because in our organisation, in our Olympic movement, we have the situation many governments want to create. We have two national Olympic committees [those of Israel and Palestine] in peaceful co-existence for 30 years, and none of these national Olympic committees has violated the Olympic Charter like the Russian Olympic Committee did,” Bach said.
The Palestinian Olympic Committee has also called for Israel's exclusion from the Games, citing the conflict in Gaza as a breach of the Olympic truce . It argues that the safety of Palestinian athletes is compromised due to the conflict, highlighting the need for protective measures and solidarity within the Games.
French President Emmanuel Macron has affirmed that Israeli athletes are welcome to compete, with France providing security for them throughout the Games.
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