Ryk Neethling Reacts As Swimming SA Admits Wrongdoing Over Tatjana Smith's Prize Money
- Ryk Neethling has criticised Swimming SA's treatment of Tatjana Smith, warning about the message it sends to the country's upcoming swimming stars
- The former Olympic champion has recalled long-standing problems within South African swimming and questioned why athletes continue facing similar challenges
- Swimming SA acting president Zikie Molusi has admitted the federation was wrong to withhold Smith's $35,000 prize money following a sponsorship dispute
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South African swimming legend Ryk Neethling has criticised Swimming South Africa's treatment of athletes after the federation admitted it was wrong to withhold Tatjana Smith's prize money.
Source: UGC
Neethling, an Olympic gold medallist, has been vocal about the challenges facing South African swimmers following Smith's announcement that she intends to represent the Netherlands internationally.
The 29-year-old Olympic champion's decision has reignited conversations about athlete support, funding and the administration of swimming in South Africa.
In a post on X on 11 November, Neethling questioned what the federation's treatment of Smith meant for upcoming swimmers.
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"The message it sends is that @SwimSouthAfrica don't look after their athletes. If you treat South Africa's best Olympic athlete in history like this, imagine what an up-and-coming athlete deals with. Unacceptable," he wrote.
His comments came as Swimming SA acting president Zikie Molusi acknowledged during an interview with 702's Bongani Bingwa that Smith's prize money from the 2023 World Aquatics Championships should never have been withheld.
"Yes, it shouldn't have happened," Molusi admitted.
He attributed the dispute to conflicting sponsorship agreements and said changes had since been made to athletes' contracts.
What did Ryk Neethling say about Swimming SA?
Speaking to Bongani Bingwa on 702, Neethling said South African swimmers had been dealing with similar problems for decades.
He also recalled the difficulties his team experienced at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
"It's been going on for a very long time," he said.
Neethling added:
"For how long do we have to deal with this? This is not rocket science just to do the basics right."
Why was Tatjana Smith's prize money withheld?
Smith's dispute with Swimming SA dates back to the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
The swimmer earned $35,000 after winning gold in the 200m breaststroke and silver in the 100m breaststroke. However, the federation withheld the money for more than a year following a dispute over her competition swimwear and its sponsorship agreement with Arena.
Swimming SA eventually paid the prize money in 2024, while a subsequent dispute over the accrued interest also attracted scrutiny.
Smith has since announced her intention to represent the Netherlands, citing financial challenges and better high-performance support opportunities.
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Source: Briefly News
