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I am not sure if it is human nature not to know whether to laugh or cry in a certain situation, but I have experienced these mixed emotions several times in my life.
It recently happened this past Monday after receiving a press release from the SA Football Association (Safa).
The source of this uncomfortable emotion was the opening lines of the missive, which read: “President of the SA Football Association Dr Danny Jordaan took time off his busy schedule to meet and address Banyana Banyana and the South African Men’s Olympic Team shortly before their departure to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on Saturday, 23 July.
“Dr Jordaan met the team at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg ...”
The initial question that came to mind was: is Jordaan not the First Citizen of South African football?
If that is so, why is it a favour for him to take time out of his “busy schedule” to do his duty of seeing off teams that are going to Brazil to hoist the country’s flag?
Is that not his priority as someone voted into office by the majority of people in charge of football?
Was this a “creative” way of trying to make the young men and women in the South African Under-23 and Banyana Banyana teams feel special, that such a big man has to take time off “his busy schedule” just to spend a few moments with them?
If that was the case, and if I was one of the players, I would feel insulted that the man in charge of the sport I play was doing me a favour by taking time off to encourage me to do well on national duty.
But, I am not.
And in life, we all have our priorities, whether wrong or right.
Jordaan was quoted extensively in the press release and had some encouraging words to say.
He told the male players how important it was to be part of the Under-23 team because this was the final furlong before becoming a full-blown member of Bafana Bafana.
He encouraged the teams to do well and thrive to qualify for the latter rounds of the tournament.
He closed by saying: “Again, I want to wish you all the best.
“Congratulations again, you are going to represent us at the Olympics, we are proud of you and we will be watching you.”
We all join Jordaan in wishing our young men and women all of the best at the shindig as the women open on Wednesday against Sweden in a group that includes hosts Brazil and China.
The boys face a Neymar-led Brazil on Thursday. Other participants in the group are Iraq and Denmark.
It also emerged during the week that a South African professional player’s A and B urine samples had tested positive for cocaine, a banned substance.
Although the player still has to be named – except for one publication that has jumped the gun – this is a black eye for South African football.
The ugly incident happens at a time when Russia, one of the countries that has dominated the Olympics for decades, has been barred from competing in football in Brazil due to doping shenanigans.
It is a wake-up call for sports administrators to be more vigilant against substance abuse.
All drugs should be a total taboo for sportsmen and women.
I appeal to our sportspeople to strive to lead clean lives, train hard and stay focused.
Our administrators also need to cast an eagle eye over the players.
However, just like all parents, they cannot be around their charges 24/7.
At the end of the day, the onus is on individuals to take care of themselves and lead clean lives.
smseleku@citypress.co.za
Follow me on Twitter @Sbu_Mseleku
