Mark Smit
1 October 2008
Johannesburg — LONG jumper Khotso Mokoena struck it lucky last night, but for sprinter Oscar Pistorius, there was nothing to celebrate.
Mokoena was Team SA's lone medal winner at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, winning a silver medal for his jump of 8,24m at the Bird's Nest national stadium.
However, he won a great deal more last night, when Athletics SA handed him a cheque for R1m as reward for "saving Team SA embarrassment in Beijing", as ASA president Leonard Chuene put it.
Pistorius, who won three gold medals in the sprints at the Paralympic Games, also in Beijing, did not even know Mokoena was getting the cheque last night.
Asked yesterday if there were not double standards at play, since both Mokoena and Pistorius are essentially track and field athletes, Chuene explained that Pistorius, although he tried, did not qualify for the able-bodied Olympics, which would have placed him under ASA's auspices.
"He was there under the auspices of the South African Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (SASAPD) so he was not our athlete in this case," said Chuene.
"Oscar is a member of both our body (ASA) and the disabled sports body. He will be able to run in able-bodied events next year because he won his court case in Lausanne for the right to compete in able-bodied events. But he was not our athlete in Beijing."
Chuene said Mokoena was getting the massive payout because he was the only medal winner. "We had expected three medals, as you know. We thought Mokoena, LJ van Zyl and Mbulaeni Mulaudzi would win medals so we made provision in our bonus pool for all three. Had all of them won, the pool would have been divided accordingly. Since only Khotso won, he got the whole amount."
Chuene said that, compared with what athletes in other sports won, R1m was a pittance. "Cricketers, rugby players and soccer players get paid to compete.
"Our athletes have to work really hard and then get to the Olympics to be able to access the winners' fund. So we feel this award is entirely appropriate."
Peet van Zyl, who manages Pistorius, could scarcely contain his disgust yesterday, while saying that he did not want to comment.
When asked if he or Pistorius knew about the award to Mokoena, he said: "We have not heard a word, but that is hardly surprising. Since we gave them (ASA) a bloody nose in the court case they have not said a word to us. But we will see. Oscar has now won the right to compete in the South African (able-bodied) Athletics Championships. I can't wait to see what happens if he qualifies for the world championships next year -- whether they will select him or not. So we are not too perturbed about this (the R1m)."
That said, however, Van Zyl would not grant permission for a chat with Pistorius himself.
"We have got ourselves into enough trouble with ASA as it is so I don't want us to get into a situation where we could get into trouble again," he said.
There has been no word on whether Natalie du Toit will be rewarded for her phenomenal efforts, which included five gold medals in the Paralympics swimming events, and a landmark participation in the able-bodied Olympics 10km marathon swim. Du Toit received a special humanitarian award after the Games for her contribution to sport and to the disabled community.
A special day hosted by SASAPD to honour Du Toit will take place on Saturday.
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