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As ever, this year was one of mixed fortunes for South African sport. For better or worse, Simnikiwe Xabanisa chooses 11 of the most influential sports people of 2016.
Ross Tucker
Judging by his tweets, columns and articles, Tucker doesn’t suffer fools gladly. This is probably because the sports scientist, now a professor when it comes to matters pertaining physiology and whatnot, doesn’t open his mouth on a subject unless he’s well-versed on it. In typical SA fashion, instead of recognising that his incredible range of knowledge across so many codes can be used, one gets the impression too many have concentrated on his bluntness as an obstacle to meaningfully engaging him.
Allister Coetzee
Well, we didn’t say it had to be positive influence ... This year has been a pretty tough one on people from all walks of life. It has been no different for Springbok rugby fans, whose team lost an unheard of eight games in one season. That’s why coach Coetzee, who easily could have been voted president of the republic if his team was winning, suddenly finds himself as the Grinch that stole the Bok supporters’ Christmas. Talk about the margins rugby people keep telling us about ...
SuperSport
We may all grumble about paying the monthly premiums to watch our sport, but imagine where SA sport would be without their broadcast rights patronage, as it were. Well, that and the bits of stakes they own in some sports teams in the country.
Roger Barrow
The exacting World Rowing Coach of the Year’s main claim to fame is uncompromisingly wringing out performances from his team regardless of the finances. In a country in which so many coaches with more resources make excuses about why they can’t get things done, sporting codes should be knocking on Barrow’s door either to recruit him as a performance director, or at the very least to ask him how he does it.
Patrice Motsepe
Mining magnate Motsepe was once quoted as saying he lost more in a day at his mines than he did at his labour of love – the Mamelodi Sundowns team. At the time it sounded like low key bragging, as the youngsters call it these days. But what that has ultimately meant is that he is in it for the long haul, if his backing his team to South Africa’s second CAF Champions league title (after Orlando Pirates) is anything to go by. The really good thing about him is his willingness to help the national team cause by providing a jet where needed or, indeed, by releasing his coach (Pitso Mosimane) to Bafana Bafana, if the rumours are true.
The mystery Tuks benefactor
Tuks’ mystery donor, who is apparently a former athlete and lives overseas, has been as responsible for the improvement in athletics as anyone. Said donor has improved the structures at Tuks by helping the university align with its high school, which has given a lot of sports bursaries. The R15-million a year donation is a system which is churning out the likes of long jumper Luvo Manyonga and sprinter Akani Simbine. In SA sporting terms, this is a bit like having Superman to fall back on when things go awry.
Wayde van Niekerk
Forget the gifts that have made the Olympic champion and world 400m record holder an international heavyweight – it is away from the track that Van Niekerk has the most influence. A devout Christian, Van Niekerk hasn’t changed since the financial windfall that has followed his outrageous feat in Rio. He’s as humble as ever, knows the same people and still doesn’t skip training. Better yet, nobody has ever had more zeal about representing his country, something his counterparts from the so-called big three sports could learn. It’s not often a mere athlete has the ability to unite a country; Van Niekerk does.
Richard Glover
Richard Who, some may ask. Glover (40) is Tennis South Africa’s new chief executive and after just two months in charge he is probably more on this list as someone to look out for. Glover’s strengths as an administrator are that he has been involved in the business of sport as opposed to coming in on an elected ticket. He comes armed with an MBA from Kingston University in the UK and a stint working for, among others, Arsenal and Cricket South Africa. What that translates into is an administrator who thinks outside of the box.
Kagiso Rabada
The 21-year-old fast bowler is possibly the most significant young cricketer to emerge in the world this season. But much like Van Niekerk, his impact for South Africa is off the field. Given his background, Rabada will never be talked up as a development product. But what he will do for the transformation fight is reinforce the idea that talent has no colour. In a country like ours, that is a massive impact.
Faf du Plessis
It’s easy to get caught up in Du Plessis’ perfectly coiffed hair, perfectly tailored clothes and his hoity toity restaurant and not take him seriously. The Proteas captain is an incredible mixture of chess-like smarts and strategy, fight, craftiness and a real understanding of this country’s dynamics. In an era where South African sport has lost real on-field leaders, he is someone who sets the right kind of example.
Seabelo Senatla
The World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, who scored 66 tries in the process, has proven critical to Neil Powell’s Blitzboks. The 23-year-old, whose 15 tries from the first two events of the new World Rugby Sevens Series make him joint top-scorer with England’s Dan Norton, is already just eight tries from breaking Fabian Juries’s all-time try scoring record of 179. And every time he has been missing for the Blitzboks they haven’t done so well without him. At the Olympics he injured his wrist and they lost their bite en route to a bronze medal, while his thigh injury could be said to have led to their defeat to England in the Cape Town Sevens recently.
