Funding for athletics plummets

PROVINCIAL funding for athletics has shrunk from R180 000 for the 2015/16 year to R50 000 in 2020/21.

For young talented athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds, the lack of funding in the sector has resulted in them being unable to make a career for themselves and forced to find any job after school to ensure their survival, a local coach said.

The funding figures emerged following a parliamentary question by ANC MP, Ayanda Bans on the priority sporting codes that the Department was funding and how much each sporting code had received.

Provincial Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport spokesperson, Tania Colyn said: “WP Athletics received R200 000 between 2015-2018 for admin, development and capacity building. The budget included marathon support.”

For 2019/20, R10 000 went to one project, while 20/21 did not see major events, she said. For 2021/22, R80 000 was allocated for Admin, Development and capacity building.

“Funding is decided after the application process adjudication. Federations must comply with the funding criteria. There were 145 funding applications received for the 2020/21 financial year. Funding is allocated for administration, development, capacity building and major events. A committee consisting of the six district sport councils and the department makes recommendations to the Head Of Department to sign off,” added Colyn.

“In 2015/16 there were 119 applicants funded for admin, development and capacity building and major events. In 2020/21 the federation was allocated funding for administration funding and 145 sport federations applied.”

Ultra Athletics Club in Mitchells Plain head coach and chairperson Waleed Donough said funding was scarce in athletics.

“Only when our athletes reach the international stage do we get funding. It is difficult from a grassroots perspective to get them developed to international level. Everyday I am out there in Manenberg, Hanover Park, coaching athletes primarily free of charge, up until we can get them on a national level. These are primarily areas with socio economic problems, so athletes get to a point where they finish school, then they have to quit athletics because they have to go and work. They don’t have financial support and government doesn’t assist, they could have been an international athlete, they may have medalled in a national competition, but they need to go work because they need to put food on the table.”

The Department said its annual budget for 2020/21 was R886 216 million, of which R260 234 million was allocated to sport and recreation.