SA Women's Rugby Sevens captain Zintle Mpupha said the decision regarding them not going to next year's Olympics in Tokyo was heartbreaking.
The Women's Sevens team won the Rugby Africa Women's Sevens title when they beat Kenya in the final in Tunisia last week. Being the best on the continent though wasn't enough to get them to next year's Olympiad.
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee's (Sascoc) qualification criteria states the team has to be first on the continent and eighth on the World Rugby Women's sevens ranking. They've achieved the former goal, but they are not in the top eight at present, a ranking they last achieved in 2013.
A goal delayed is a goal denied
"It's heartbreaking because we played so well to win the tournament, but at the back of your mind, you know you're not going to the Olympics next year," said the Imbokodo captain.
"As far as I know, going to the Olympics is a goal for any athlete. The goal now has been taken away and it's like everything is going down the drain, but it's not something we can control. It's sad that we can't do anything and the decision has been made," Mpupha said.
"We're not deemed to be medal contenders. Sport is unpredictable. Today, things can go your way and in some days, it won't. Them (Sascoc) predicting that we're not going to get a medal is like they don't believe in us and the vagaries of sport. Everyone deserves a chance to go to the Olympics."
Mpupha's teammate, Eloise Webb, said while she was disappointed with the decision, she wasn't surprised.
"This also happened in 2016, where we also qualified, but Sascoc didn't let us know before the tournament that it was not enough to qualify. For us, we knew we weren't going to be able to qualify from Africa. It's a sad point because we took pictures with the cup, but Kenya, who finished second, took pictures showing they had qualified," Webb said.
Sascoc spokesperson Qondisa Ngwenya said SA Rugby will have to answer for the women's sevens team not going to the Olympics as they've yet to sign the qualification agreement.
"The qualification agreement between SA Rugby and Sascoc has not been signed and the reason for that is because of the international rider in terms of the policy. The critical part is finishing in the top-eight world rankings as stipulated by the International Olympic Committee and World Rugby," Ngwenya said.
"What they [SA Rugby] keep arguing about is why don't we just use the continental slot and put the rider thing aside because it's not relevant. What I don't understand with regard to SA Rugby's argument is that last year, they didn't take part in the sevens series because of a lack of players.
"This year, SA Rugby think they have a [women's] team good enough to go to the Olympics. It doesn't make sense."
SA Rugby chief executive officer Jurie Roux said they've been meeting Sascoc regarding the women's seven's team, but to no avail.
"We engaged with Sascoc for more than a year in an attempt to secure an Olympic place for what is now confirmed as Africa's best women's sevens team. We also asked for the sports ministry's assistance, but all to no avail. This is hugely disheartening," Roux said.
"Women's rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and it would have been a major boost to the growth of the sport among South African women if we had been able to showcase them at the Olympics. For the second Olympics in a row, South African women have been denied that opportunity. We are bitterly disappointed."
