‘Mr Christmas’ brings bonus cheer to stars
SPORTS Minister Fikile Mbalula has defended his decision to award medallists from the Rio Olympic Games with extra monetary incentives from the ministry’s coffers.
Team South Africa arrived to a warm welcome at the OR Tambo International Airport yesterday morning where Mbalula‚ sports administrators and supporters filled the international arrivals terminal to celebrate the athletes who claimed gold‚ silver and bronze medals – a total of 10 for SA – at the Games in Brazil.
Amid the frenzy of support for the athletes – who were without gold medallist Wayde van Niekerk and silver medallist Sunette Viljoen‚ who are already en route to Paris where they will participate in the Diamond League – Mbalula announced that his department would further incentivise the athletes on top of the money initially announced by Sascoc ahead of the Games.
“Today when I woke up I was so happy‚ I decided to increase [the prize-money Mbalula announced.
“For Wayde van Niekerk‚ on top of the R500 000 [initially announced before the start of the Olympics]‚ for breaking the world record [he gets] R150 000.
“Razzmatazz‚ Mr Christmas is here‚” the minister boasted.
He continued: “For Caster Semenya‚ for showing them flames‚ R100 000.
“For the rest. [Those who won] silver get R70 000 each‚ bronze get R50 000 increase. That is on top of what they will get‚ it is just happiness from South Africa.”
The minister became slightly agitated when asked by members of the media to explain where the extra money for the new incentives is coming from.
“This came from the budget of the sports [department]. I did not get it from some spaza shop or anywhere. It is the money of sports and the people of South Africa‚” he said.
“Our athletes have done well. In fact‚ to me what we have given them is peanuts. I was actually fighting with the [sports ministry] DG (director general Alec Moemi) about it. I should be giving each one of them R1-million.
The minister indicated that more incentives would be awarded to the athletes at the next SA sports awards ceremony to be hosted by the ministry later this year.
He also promised that the Paralympians‚ who will be participating at the Paralympic Games in Brazil‚ will also be justly rewarded — TMG Digital