We live, as the saying goes, in interesting times. And that’s particularly true for the world of sport, where every day brings new victories, defeats and lockdown developments – and laughing gas-related controversies (yes, really).
That’s why every week we take a quick look around and round up the most interesting sports writings out there…so you don’t have to.
You’re welcome.
Anyway, here’s what we found out this week…
Netball News: Back In Business
Netball is one of the most popular women’s team sports in South Africa – one reason why the SA national netball team was named Momentum Gsport 4 Girls Team of the Year, no doubt (the other being their general awesomeness) . And like so many other sports, it’s been curtailed by lockdown regulations – but Netball Western Cape is planning for a full return to play, preparing for the Telkom National League in Bloemfontein from 14-28 October – the first big competition hosted by Netball South Africa since the national lockdown brought about by the Coronavirus brought a halt to all competitive sport. Meanwhile, grassroots netball in England is restarting from 26 September, with suitable modification. And Australia’s Super Netball 2020 season began last month, with the world’s best netball league looking a bit different this year.
Cape Cyclists Climb In The Saddle
Cyclists are a hardy breed – and they’ve wasted no time getting back in the saddle since the move to lockdown level 2 included provision for recreational sport. And now WP Cycling is pleased to announce its first road race back: today, 13 September, they headed out to the beautiful Slanghoek Valley for what is considered one of the most stunning races on the WP Cycling annual calendar. Meanwhile, the 2020 UCI Road World Championships will be taking place in Imola, Italy, from 24 to 27 September, with the UCI Mountain Bike World Champs following a couple weeks later. And the Tour De France going from strength to strength. And hey, we hear a lot about cycling being the new golf…but don’t forget that golf is still forging ahead, with half a dozen South African golfers among the 144 men vying for the 120th US Open Championship. Alas, the Women’s PGA Championship in September won’t be allowing spectators…but there’ll be plenty of broadcast coverage, not to worry.
Caster Semenya:
Caster Semenya has had to put up with a lot. The champion middle-distance runner has previously been forced to withdraw from international competition, and has had medals disputed, and has had to undergo shady testing and even shadier public questioning – all as a result of high testosterone levels due to an intersex condition and an International Association of Athletics Federations (now World Athletics) that has some strange ideas about the science (and indeed the ethics) behind sport and gender. In 2019, new IAAF rules came into force preventing women such as Semenya from participating in 400m, 800m, and 1500m events unless they take medication to lower their testosterone levels. She refused, appealed – and has now lost. But the Department of Sport and Recreation and political parties have rallied around Semenya, and she isn’t giving up that easily. “I will continue to fight for the human rights of female athletes, both on and off the track, until we can all run free the way we were born,” she wrote on Twitter. In her tweet, she included a photo of herself and a Nike slogan that said: “You can’t stop us.”
Funding Sporting Federations (And More Good News)
And now for some good news (yes, that does still happen sometimes). This weekend was the deadline for the Second Wave COVID–19 Relief application process as a form of assistance to artists, athletes, technical personnel, fitness instructors / practitioners and the core ecosystem with the objective of softening the economic impact sparked by the COVID– 9 pandemic. Meanwhile, the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) has allocated all R1 million in COVID-19 relief funds to successful applicants from various sport federations in the province, assisting sportspeople who have been negatively impacted by the cancellation of events due to the coronavirus. And more good news for fans: The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has provided further details around the major sporting events which could be made free-to-air as part of a review of South Africa’s sports broadcasting regulations.
And that, in short, was the week in sport.
So…did we miss anything? Why not let us know at info@capeat6sport.co.za? Or if you want to know more about what’s happening in sport, why not check out the latest issue of the Cape At 6 magazine?
