You did us proud
THE heroes’ welcome our Olympians received yesterday was all the more apt after their history-making exploits in Rio de Janeiro.
Even in bitingly cold conditions, throngs of South Africans descended on OR Tambo International Airport to cheer our heroes who brought home a record 10 medals from the Olympic Games.
Once again we salute them for putting the country on the map. Wayde van Niekerk’s record-breaking sprint in the 400m will remain one of Rio’s biggest highlights, although the athlete could not make it back home yesterday as he has a Diamond League engagement.
But as was expected, the spotlight has firmly been on Caster Semenya, winner of South Africa’s second gold at the weekend after her triumph in the women’s 800m.
Prior to her race, it was encouraging to see South Africans rallying behind her, telling off whoever was trying to disrupt her preparations. Semenya herself showed immense strength amid the controversy over whether she should be allowed to run, given that her detractors deem her as hyperandrogenist.
Questioned on the matter following her victory, Semenya gave a matured answer, telling the media conference she was more interested in queries related to her performance, and also reminding journalists not to be discriminatory based on looks.
Disappointingly, some of the athletes who could not cope with Caster’s speed also proved bad losers when they moaned afterwards. These include Lynsey Sharp of Britain, who came a distant sixth, and Poland’s Joanna Jozwik, who made the most disparaging remarks, claiming she felt like a silver medallist despite finishing fifth.
The uncouth Jozwik also dragged Burundian Francine Niyonsaba, who came second and Kenya’s bronze medallist Margaret Wambui into the controversy.
“The three athletes who were on the podium raise a lot of controversy,” the sorry loser said. “I must admit that for me it is a little strange that the authorities do nothing about this. These colleagues have a very high testosterone level, similar to a male’s, which is why they look how they look and run like they run.”
She went on to make a racial slur, claiming she was happy to have been the “first European” and “second white” to finish the race. At least, such racist comments against fellow runners should lead to a formal hearing by Olympic authorities, at worst an immediate suspension.
Rightly, Semenya has received full backing from SA, but that doesn’t mean the International Olympic Committee should turn a blind eye towards her continued, unjustified abuse, not least when it comes from colleagues.
Stern action must be taken against them, otherwise it might encourage other pathetic losers to join the fray.