Why Team SA were kitted out in Chinese takeaways
Athletes’ shining moment on the medals podium marred by bargain basement outfits from China
CHEERS echoed around South Africa for our Olympic heroes, but their shapeless tracksuits — designed and made in China — have brought nothing but jeers.
Proudly South African has called for a “public indaba” on the outsourcing of the baggy outfits to 361 Degrees, a Chinese company, which offered South African sports officials a choice of existing off-the-peg designs which were then provided in the stipulated colours.
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula has advised the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee to “engage with the public” on the issue.
The foreign manufacture of South African Olympic outfits has long been a contentious issue.
Sascoc president Gideon Sam said concerns were raised at the London Games in 2012, but Sascoc had been forced to go to China for the outfits out of economic necessity.
“No sponsor came forward to sponsor the team and after the outcry about the uniforms of our team in Beijing [2008], we looked around for a sponsor,” Sam said in a text message to the Sunday Times.
“A company called Erke in China came forward with a fouryear sponsorship leading up to London. Cosatu legitimately raised concerns and we said: ‘Put R20-million on the table and Sascoc will walk away from the sponsorship.’ We are still waiting.”
Sam said the decision was taken to move from Erke to 361 Degrees for the Rio Olympics.
“The minister [Mbalula], after commenting on the kit, advised us to engage the public on this matter, and we have all the intentions to do so.”
Proudly South African said it would have helped Sascoc to find local support and sponsorship.
“As the nation’s buy local campaign — and in line with our values — we are disappointed that our athletes did not have an opportunity to showcase locally manufactured kit on the world stage . . . and show support for local manufacturing,” said spokeswoman Happy Ngidi.
She said stakeholders, including the Sports Ministry, Sascoc and local manufacturers, would be invited to a public indaba “to put our heads together as a collective to address local procurement issues”.
Sascoc CEO Tubby Reddy said the committee had no choice but to dress the team in the 361 Degrees tracksuits for the opening ceremony.
“The 361 brand was always going to be used in relation to the opening ceremony,” Reddy said. “We couldn’t really plan to use traditional attire because . . . the sponsor company is a sports brand.”
Reddy said the Chinese company had failed to provide all the garments agreed in the contract.
A director of 361 Degrees, who asked to not be named, confirmed the tracksuits were all made in China.
He said agents employed by the company’s brand-building department scouted for countries to sponsor.
“As far as I know, they have contact with the national teams. Not only South Africa, but the Greece national team is also wearing 361. Our brand-building department will search for a suitable candidate then they will check with them and talk about sponsorship and other issues like promotion,” he said.
According to the 361 Degrees website, which includes slogans like “Running never stops as wind does”, it has more than 7 800 sales branches in mainland China.
“The design is from us,” the director said. “We have several options for them to choose from. So it’s a kind of collaboration. They give us some initial concepts and they come up with several options and they choose what is suitable.”
South African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union co-ordinator Fachmy Abrahams said: “Given the low numbers [of tracksuits] that were produced, the impact in terms of numbers of goods produced is not that high. But precisely because it is such low numbers, we would have expected that Sascoc would have wanted to ensure national pride by having the clothing locally produced.” — Additional Reporting by David Isaacson