McKenzie must support SA hockey teams beyond words after historic bronze medal

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie celebrated the SA men’s indoor hockey team’s historic bronze medal at the recent World Cup in Croatia as a ‘massive achievement for SA hockey on the global stage’.

The South Africans stunned the hockey world with their thrilling run to the semi-final in Porec, where they narrowly lost out to eventual winners Germany.

They then picked themselves up from that heartbreak to beat highly ranked Belgium in an equally dramatic bronze medal match on Sunday night.

The skilful, electrifying play of the likes of the Cassiem brothers, Dayaan and Mustaphaa, made the BlitzStoks the toast of the hockey world, and of South Africa.

Everyone was basking in the emotion and joy of SA’s first men’s World Cup medal.

Yet the reality of their struggles in reaching the showpiece event seem to have been swept under the carpet in the euphoria.

Skipper Dayaan Cassiem alluded to this in an emotional comment after their bronze medal heroics.

“At the beginning of the tour we weren’t sure about funding or anything and we said it doesn’t matter about money or anything, we’re going to come here and make sure that we make the country proud,” he said.

And that is not a first for a sport where South Africa’s teams have regularly qualified for major tournaments like World Cups and the Olympics but have not received the backing of the government.

They have also withdrawn teams from the top-flight Pro League international competition featuring the best hockey-playing nations in the world.

Despite being a continental powerhouse, SA hockey teams have often had to pay their own way to big tournaments, rely on crowdfunding or last-minute sponsorships.

The last two Olympics, in Paris last year and Tokyo 2024, were a prime example of the financial struggles of a sport that must feel like the poor relation of SA sport.

According to reports, the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee only paid for flights to Paris.

It was the same Sascoc that withdrew the SA teams from the Rio 2016 Olympics, believing they had no chance of winning a medal.

Hockey in SA has not really been feeling the love from the Olympic mother body, or from government, for some time.

The dramatic Indoor Hockey World Cup performance proves the potential of SA hockey teams to compete against, and beat, the best teams in the world.

Imagine what the country can achieve with stronger financial backing from the powers that be?

“South Africa’s men’s indoor hockey team clinch their first-ever BRONZE medal at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup! A massive achievement for SA Hockey on the global stage!” McKenzie boasted on social media platform X.

He hailed it as a massive step forward.

While his comments will be welcome, the minister needs to back this up with financial support. Putting his money where his mouth is, so to speak.

It is the only way to ensure that this ‘dirty gold’ is turned into gold in future for South African hockey teams.

Over to you, minister.

–The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.