Media Releases

SASCOC president Gideon Sam has paid tribute to former WBF heavyweight boxer Mike Bernardo, who died in Cape Town on Tuesday.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sports Minister Mr Fikile Mbalula on Tuesday expressed his confidence in the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) leadership, but urged the governing body to put its “battles” aside and focus on London 2012.

Read the rest of this entry »

The President of South Africa’s Olympic governing body, Mr Gideon Sam, on Tuesday congratulated Oscar Pistorius on winning the 2012 Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award.

Read the rest of this entry »

The death of two South African racing drivers at the past weekend is an “unfortunate tragedy”, SASCOC Chief Executive Officer Mr Tubby Reddy said on Monday.

Multiple South African champion Curt Alchin, 44, passed away after a tragic accident at the Victory Raceway in Port Elizabeth on Saturday evening and Sunday morning saw the death of 37-year-old Wim Pretorius at the Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria.

“It is indeed an unfortunate tragedy what has happened to these talented athletes. It takes great nerve and courage to compete at the top levels in motorsport and to lose their lives ‘on the ‘job’ is heart-breaking,” said Reddy.

Alchin, an honorary member of the Algoa Motorsport Club, was awarded national colours in 2004 for his success in international Oval Racing. His titles include 1995 Production Car Champion, 1999 Modified Saloons Champion, 2002 Standard 1600 Saloons Champion, 2005 Modified Saloons Dirt Champion, and 2006 Modified Saloons 1600 Tar Champion.

According to a statement released by Motorsport South Africa (MSA), Pretorius lost his life whilst participating in the Thunderbikes race. An amateur driver, he started racing in the middle of 2009, competing in only eight out of 22 races for the year yet ended ninth in the total points standings. The following year he contested four races, finishing second in two and winning the other two. Then last year he won the Thunderbike B Class club championship.

Reddy extended the Olympic governing body’s condolences to both sportsmen’s families. “On behalf of SASCOC and all its members, I would like to send our sincere condolences to both the families and friends of these members of the SA sport community.”

Members of both the print and electronic media wishing to attend and report on

the 2012 Paralympic Games in London are requested to register their names (and

organisations) with SASCOC, South Africa’s Olympic governing body.

London 2012 Paralympic Accreditation 

SASCOC CEO Mr Tubby Reddy on Monday paid tribute to our Winter Youth Olympic Games representative, Sive Speelman.

Read the rest of this entry »

SASCOC CEO Tubby Reddy on Saturday confirmed there will be a forensic audit of Power Boat South Africa.

Read the rest of this entry »

Youth Olympic skier, Sive Speelman flew the flag for Team South Africa for the opening ceremony of the Inaugural Winter Youth Olympics Games, that began Friday, 13 January, in Innsbruck Austria.

Read the rest of this entry »

Monday, 9 January marks exactly 200 days to go before the world’s biggest multi-code sporting spectacle, the 2012 Olympic Games, get underway in London, Great Britain.

Read the rest of this entry »

Having already qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games for the first time ever, our national women’s soccer squad were part of more ground-breaking developments at the weekend.

The logistics of processing the thousands of expected athletes in terms of identification and security issues is an enormous task but thanks to advanced work in the biometric movement, entry into the London extravaganza is expected to be that much easier in 2012.

On Saturday a team from theb UK Border Agency visited the Banyana Banyana team headquarters to help with their preparations for the London Olympics in 2012, undergoing the biometric process in order to facilitate easy access to the Games.

Explained Gary Benham, First Secretary, Head of Communications, at the British High Commission: “My colleagues in our excellent visa team are working with SASCOC to capture the required biometric details that will facilitate the athlete’s entry into the UK for the Games next year. Our team went to teams’ training ground to take the necessary data from all of the players and management.”

The rowers (SA have two boats qualified already) were first to be processed, also last week.

The process is quick and painless, taking about two minutes, and requiring a photo, a 10-finger scan and passport check.

The biometric information collected will be stored on a database in the United Kingdom and held strictly in accordance with UK legislation, including the Data Protection Act 1998. Unauthorised persons will not be able to access biometric information and it will not be used inappropriately. It may be shared with other foreign governments with the purpose of helping them and the UK Border Agency perform their functions.

On concerns about one’s biometric information being available to strangers, Benham assured us that this will not be there case. “No unauthorised persons will be able to access the biometric information and it will not be used inappropriately”,

He further explained that the data will be kept for 10 years from the date that the finger scan is taken.

The Foreign and Commonwealth office offers an exclusive service to potential Games Family Members. This free service is aimed at those Games Family Members (coaches, officials and media accredited personnel) who don’t currently hold a visa to enter the UK (but would normally need one).

“This biometric service means that we can collect your information at your convenience before you arrive in the UK, this will mean one less process when you arrive in the UK to take part in the Games,” said Benham.