How aging gangster rapper Snoop Dogg got to be one of the final torch bearers of the Olympic flame during Friday’s opening ceremony in Paris still baffles me.
The toothpick-thin Snoop is known for being more dexterous at rolling and puffing a joint, rather than for his athletic proficiency.
During a recent 200m exhibition race in the US Olympic trials in Oregon, Snoop clocked a “laid back” 34:44 seconds and almost needed an oxygen tank to keep him alive afterwards.
In SA running parlance, that does not even qualify to be called “Sassa pace”. But here’s hoping that won’t be the common tone in this year’s Olympic Games and that there will be blistering performances in abundance.
The only disheartening thing about this year’s games is that both AmaGlug-Glug and -Banyana Banyana failed to qualify for the spectacle.
I know the team is no longer called AmaGlug-Glug, but the SA Under-23 is just humdrum while the old moniker brings back memories of Sydney 2000 where the likes of Benni McCarthy, Siyabonga Nomvethe, Steve Lekoelea, Stanton Fredericks, Nkhiphitheni Matombo, Emile -Baron, Daniel Matsau, Abram Nteo, Matthew Booth and Quinton Fortune defeated a star studded Brazil side 3-1 in Brisbane. I will just call them AmaGlug-Glug just for this column’s sake.
It is such a tragedy for a generation of players to miss out on such an important step in their rite of passage. After the 2000 Olympics, when office bearers dropped the ball, SA football was in a serious state of decay because the junior national teams were underperforming, and funds were used for what they were not allocated for.
Some administrators lined up their pockets with monies meant to create a better future and lives for kids coming from impoverished communities.
It took SA a whole 16 years for football to return to the Olympic stage when they qualified for the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016.
Mzansi’s younglings at the time, including Mothobi Mvala, Reeve Frosler, Aubrey Modiba, Keagan Dolly, Thabiso Kutumela, Abbubaker Mobara and Menzi Masuku gained immeasurable experience when they played against the likes of Brazil superstars Gabriel Jesus, Neymar and Rafinha. Portugal’s Bruno Fernandez and Tiago Silva. They were some of the up-and-coming stars who were at the tournament – look at them today.
Banyana have now missed out on two tournaments in a row and if the SA Football Association is honest, they will confess that this is a disaster waiting to happen because how are they going to develop players who are fearless and world beaters if they do not qualify for the Olympics?
This rot must stop so that both men’s and women’s teams can qualify for the next games in Los Angeles in 2028.
But it’s not all gloom, because in Akani Simbine, Wayde van Niekerk and young sensation Prudence Sekgodiso we have athletes who can burn the track and bring us medals. Shaun Maswanganyi, Ryan Mphahlele and Benjamin Richards are also on top of their game.
There’s also hope in long distance runners Gerda Steyn, Elroy Gellant and Stephen Mokoka. Legendary SA sprinter Geraldin Pillay this week told Sunday World that she was confident that our track athletes will win a few of medals.
In the waters, our torpedoes Chad le Clos, Matthew Sides and Tatjana Smith are always capable of doing a devastating job and are serious medal contenders, undoubtedly.
“U ready? Paris 2024 Olympics ya digggg,” screamed Snoop.
