Question NW306 to the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
28 February 2022 - NW306
Van Dyk, Ms V to ask the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
(1). Whether, with reference to TeamSA for the Tokyo Olympic Games, the initial decision not to pay any incentives to the medal winners was because (a) he and (b) the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) have found that women in sport are inferior and do not deserve to be treated as equal to men; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (2). whether the initial decision not to pay any incentives to the medal winners was because (a) he and (b) the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) have found that winners are not representative of the demographics of the Republic; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. SASCOC’s Constitution / Policy and position is very clear in relation to provision of equal incentives for any athlete who medals at multi-coded events. Discrimination of any form is not tolerated within the Organisation.
2. I as the Minister, I serve all South Africans from all walks of life, race, class or gender is not an issue to me and the political party I belong too.
SASCOC does not tolerate or practice a system of discrimination based on one or more grounds. This includes but not limited to race, gender, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language, or HIV and AIDS status. We also subscribe to the IOC Charter, the Constitution of SA and the SASCOC Constitution in this regard.