OPINION: SA sport stars need to be given a more powerful voice

If you float around in the background of most South African sports, people have all sorts of complaints, but there’s not much they can do other than whisper things to each other without being overheard.

Athletes, coaches, agents. Many of them are unhappy with certain issues, but they are forced to suck it up and get on with it. And the most frustrating thing is that they don’t get much in return.

In many sports, professional athletes are not contracted by federations, they don’t earn salaries from governing bodies and they don’t have trade unions.

This is not the case in all codes. In more popular team sports, including football, rugby and cricket, professional players are contracted and protected. They receive salaries and they are able to join unions.

But individuals competing in most sports receive none of these benefits, and they’re still beholden to federations.

Consequences for speaking up

If athletes are found to have brought federations into disrepute by speaking out against governing bodies, they face possible suspensions or restrictions, and their entire careers can be derailed.

Even the hands of government officials are tied because, if they are found to be interfering in sport, national federations can be suspended by international governing bodies.

So what do athletes do if they feel they are being mistreated? They can’t speak up and are often left stranded.

Following her retirement from competitive swimming, four-time Olympic medallist Tatjana Smith is now speaking out, protected by the fact that her career can’t be affected by voicing her frustration.

According to Smith, her prize money from the 2023 World Aquatics Championships had been withheld by Swimming South Africa for a full year, and she had to take legal action before eventually receiving the payment. And when she did get paid, Smith was not given any of the interest which had accrued over that lengthy period.

Athletes should not be muzzled

She is not the first individual who has been brave enough to stand up, but many athletes in similar situations in various codes have just kept quiet, which is understandable considering the potential consequences.

Even if federations aren’t able to offer athletes contracts and can’t afford to pay them salaries, which would allow them to join trade unions, something needs to be done to create a platform where individuals can speak up without the fear of facing severe backlash.

If athletes are being poorly treated, they shouldn’t be muzzled, and they shouldn’t have to wait until they’ve retired before speaking up and exposing alleged tyrannical behaviour.

Professional athletes who carry the national flag deserve better treatment, and they need to be given a more powerful voice.