Team South Africa to seize the moment at All Africa Games (AAG) in
Algeria
12 July 2007
South Africa's Sport and Recreation Minister Dr Makhenkesi Stofile called
upon all members of Team South Africa to seize the moment and become the best
ambassadors on and off the field at the AAG being held in Algiers, Algeria. The
Minister was speaking at a welcome function hosted by the South African Embassy
in Algeria on Tuesday evening.
In view of the unavailability of some of the athletes who were scheduled to
form part of Team South Africa, the Minister said that, while there is a need
to balance national interests (of federations and the South African nation)
against individual commercial needs of athletes, the team that is in Algeria
"should be able to show the capability, willingness, and courage to compete
against the best Africa can offer". He told the athletes, especially those who
joined the team as replacements, to see the Games as a platform from which to
shine and stake their claim to regular participation at national and
international level.
The Minister congratulated Banyana Banyana for securing a draw against
Nigeria on Monday and Amaglugglug for playing well enough to lose by only a 2-1
margin against a team as strong as Tunisia, on Tuesday. For a team that
experienced mass withdrawal of players only days before their trip to Algeria,
the Minister said, "Amaglugglug has not shamed us". However, the Minister was
quick to indicate that for Banyana Banyana and Amaglugglug to have an upper
hand against their competitors, they would have to build on the performances
that they displayed in their first games.
Minister Stofile also called upon all Africans, including African media
houses, to start seeing the AAG as Africa's own Olympics and treat them with
respect before other nations can be expected to see and treat them as such. The
AAG, the Minister said, "is a pinnacle sport event in Africa, laying a solid
foundation for success at international level through development, improving
integration of Africa, and helping defeat xenophobia."
Enquiries:
Manase Makwela
Tel: 00213 54 950 850 (cell number in Algeria)
Issued by: Sport and Recreation South Africa
12 July 2007
Source: Sport and Recreation South Africa (http://www.srsa.gov.za)
