While SASCOC “negotiate with partners to try to secure funding from sponsors”, South Africans are rallying together to donate funds for our Olympic medalists… and have already raised almost R1 million in just 3 days!
Johannesburg, South Africa (12 August 2021) – Give us a problem and we’ll find a solution. South Africans have collectively raised almost R1 million for our Olympic medalists in just 3 days!
The various crowdfunds were inspired after news broke on Monday that SASCOC (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) would not be able to pay bonuses to any of our Olympic athletes for their medal wins.
SASCOC President Barry Hendriks then stated on Tuesday morning that the reports expressing that “the governing body would not be rewarding Tatjana Schoenmaker and Bianca Buitendag were wide off the mark” but could still not tell media what the talented athletes would receive.
“The organisation is in negotiations with partners over the issue of financial rewards to medallists but the amounts had not been finalised because these negotiations were ongoing.”
Hendriks explained that the “partners” in question included the various government departments and sponsors but the SASCOC President could not define the amounts that the athletes would be receiving as the committee was waiting to see what was going to happen at the Paralympics.
“Our very first task was to deliver Team South Africa to the Olympics and the Paralympics; to secure funding from our Sponsors. Now we have to look at the Olympics and the Paralympics. And I need to stress that. What we do with the Olympic athletes, we have to apply to the Palampic athletes as well,” Hendriks explained to Mandy Weiner on the Midday Report.
Hendriks was reluctant to mention what the bonuses might be as he “did not want the athletes to lose focus, as their focus should be on team delivery”. He did, however, mention many times that SASCOC is trying to negotiate with partners while also trying to secure funding from sponsors. You can listen to that full interview by clicking here.
Meanwhile, South Africans decided to do it by themselves and started securing donations as individuals, corporates, and various organisations rallied together to thank our athletes for making us so proud!
Various crowdfunding campaigns have been set up, while some corporates are donating directly to the athletes. Collectively, R992,000 has already been pledged.
See the breakdown below (and get more info on each fund by clicking the links):
- Afriform – R100,000
- Matchkit – R342,000
- Sea Harvest – R50,000 (awarded to Bianca Buitendag)
- Atterbury and USN – R500,000
Thank you South Africa for your kindness! They say that in times of tragedy, we should always look for the helpers but in our case, we just need to look to another kind South African.