South Africa Turns Down Olympic Water Polo Bids; Romania (Men) and Canada (Women) Claim Spots
In a surprising development, Swimming South Africa (SSA) pulled its men’s and women’s water polo teams from the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. SSA chief executive Shaun Adriaanse told the Daily Maverick that a minimum 12th-place finish at the recent World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar was necessary to consider both teams making the trip to the French capital.
In Doha, the South African men finished 15th out of 16 teams while the women finished 14th. The Romanian men’s team, which had not qualified for an Olympic Games since 2012, and the Canadian women’s team—a participant in the 2020 Tokyo Games—were both selected to replace the South Africans.
Reports suggest that the SSA announced their decision before notifying athletes, many of whom first heard of the decision through social media. Commentators cited a lack of financial support for water polo and general apathy for the sport in South Africa.
Keanan Hemmonsbey in the Daily Maverick reported that selected players for the World Champs were required to pay approximately R20,000 from their own pockets for flights and accommodation in Doha, as the sport remains largely self-funded.
South Africa’s men’s and women’s polo teams participated in the 2020 Tokyo Games. Both sides finished last in their bracket, with the women 10th and the men 12th.
