Programme Director, Mr Andy Scott
Deputy Minister of SRSA, Hon. Gert Oosthuizen
The President of SASCOC, Mr Gideon Sam
Board Members and CEO of SASCOC
Presidents of Federations
Dignitaries and Athletes
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
It gives me pleasure and joy to address you this morning and say a few words on behalf of our Government at this very important function to announce team SA to the London 2012 Paralympic Games. On behalf of the Ministry of Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and the Government of the Republic, I want to say how proud we are of all our athletes who have qualified to participate in the Paralympic Games in London this year. Participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Games is the ultimate dream of any athlete of any country. Congratulations on your successful selection!
You have done all in your power to qualify and now you are on your journey putting in your final weeks of preparation. Stay focussed, polish your practice, and take care of your health. If you are beginning to become excited and anxious perhaps, it is understandable, and all part of your build up.
As Bobby Knight once said: “The key is not the ‘will to win’ – everybody has that! It is the ‘will to prepare to win’ that is important”.
We know that since our country returned to the Olympics and paralympic games 20 years ago, after 40 years of sport isolation, our country has had mixed successes; achieving three gold medals, a silver and a bronze at the 1996 summer Olympic and paralympic games in Atlanta; but only managing two Silver medals and three Bronze medals at the 2000 Olympic and paralympic games in Sydney.
However, our paralympic Team has made us proud under such circumstance by putting our flag at the centre of the community of nations. You have raised our flag and our colours into higher heights by increasing your medal tool and accelerating your performance.
Ladies and gentlemen, since 1998 games in Nagano in Japan our paralympic team has been making some strides until it was ranked sixth after the Beijing 2008 games bringing home a total of thirty medals. We are therefore very thankful for this excellent performance and we are pleased that you will do it again as usual in this upcoming 2012 Olympic and paralympic games in London.
We are putting all our support behind you.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to acknowledge the vast amount of work put in by SASCOC with delivery of Team SA. At the same time I must also say thank you to our National Federations for preparing your athletes. The team’s outfit is outstanding and looking very good.
Everyone who will be going to London, please remember to visit our Ekhaya centre that is being set up in London. We are there to support you and to make sure you do not miss your home and our lovely country too much. With all of these arrangements and preparations behind you, all that remains is for you to go out there and out-perform your competitors, as we want to feel the hardware.
In conclusion, let us go out there accompanied by the wise words of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he said: “You have to be able to centre yourself, to let all of your emotions go. Don’t ever forget that you play and compete with your soul as well as your body”.
Thank you for your attention.
Speakers’ notes of the Minister of Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA), Hon. FA Mbalula (MP) on the occasion of the announcement of Team SA London 2012 Paralympic Games, Olympic House, Johannesburg
