Olympics could cost SA an arm and a leg, or maybe just a toe

Covid-19 protocols contributed in pushing up SA's Olympic budget by more than 60%, with the cost to send a team to the Tokyo Games hitting R45m.

The SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) had previously calculated the total expense of competing at the Olympics and Paralympics at R45m, split R28m and R17m between the able-bodied and disabled events.

But that swelled to R62m by the time a budget was submitted to the National Lotteries Commission.

Sascoc is working on an Olympic team size of 355 athletes and officials, a massive increase on past years because of a resolution taken by sports federations in late 2019 that allowed for easier qualification pathways, resulting in more competitors.

The exact size is not yet known because many competitors are still looking to qualify, including Wayde van Niekerk, the reigning men's 400m champion.

Even those who have achieved qualifying standards, like swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker and long-jumper Ruswahl Samaai, must still perform at their national championships to earn selection.

Acting CEO Ravi Govender said the R62m budget had included a 14-day quarantine camp before departure, as initially required by Games organisers, and that meant housing them at different venues because of lowered capacities as dictated by Covid protocols.

It also required extra support staff.

The extra camps accounted for nearly R10m, Govender said, but added that Sascoc had just received permission from Tokyo organisers to reduce the pre-departure quarantine period to seven days, which would bring the costs down substantially.

The Paralympic team, expected to be far smaller with about 70 athletes and officials, had avoided a budgetary increase, Govender said. "The complexities around managing the Olympic budget are very different to the complexities around the Paralympic budget," he said.

Lotto and government have yet to say how much they will contribute towards team delivery, though last year sport minister Nathi Mthethwa asked Sascoc to cut the team.

When the federations scrapped Sascoc's tough qualifying criteria in 2019, they added the proviso that they be given the chance to fund their own athletes if Sascoc didn't have the money.

Accommodation and meals at the Olympics are free for athletes and officials, and flights are subsidised up to $850 per athlete, but not for all support staff.

Kit, per diem allowances, insurance and even excess baggage penalties for sports and medical equipment are for Sascoc's account.

The SA Hockey Association has already started crowd-funding for the men's and women's teams.

Different federations have worked out it could cost anything from R45,000 to R60,000 per athlete.

Enjoyed commercial partnerships

Throw in warm-up matches and the price can escalate to R100,000 per player, as water polo officials calculated on a worst-case, unsubsidised scenario.

Gymnastics, hoping to qualify two competitors, insist their athletes will not have to pay out of their own pockets.

Sascoc is confident of tying up sponsorships. President Barry Hendricks couldn't give details, but traditionally Sascoc have enjoyed commercial partnerships around the Olympics with clothing companies and airlines.

Only once the Lotto, government and sponsorship contributions are known will it be possible to calculate what federations will have to contribute, if anything.

Hendricks was also hopeful Sascoc would be able to offer some athlete support in the months leading up to the Tokyo showpieces.

Sascoc, under financial strain since the Lotto slashed its annual funding in 2017, has been unable to fund its Operation Excellence programme for athletes for the past year.