Message from the President
May 2012
A lot has happened since my last message from the President and I would like to touch briefly on important developments within SADSF.
World Deaf Table Tennis Championships – Yandani Mafanya is currently in Tokyo, Japan where is he representing South Africa at the World Deaf Table Tennis Championships which ends on 6 May 2012. He is accompanied by his coach, Luke Abrahams, from South African Table Tennis Board (SATTB). Yandani’s trip to Tokyo is twofold: 1, to participate and 2, to gain much needed experience which will be used to for the benefit of SADSF upon his return. We hope that the lesson learnt there will assist our Deaf table tennis players in preparation for future international events. We are aware that some table tennis players are unhappy with being overlooked for these championships, but due to limited funding at our disposal, we had to carefully consider a number of factors and our decision is in the best interest of Deaf sport, in our opinion. Our view is that quality rather than quantity should apply in future international events and we stand firm in our belief that athletes have to be at their utmost best in order to be considered for international events.
A lot has happened since my last message from the President and I would like to touch briefly on important developments within SADSF.
World Deaf Table Tennis Championships – Yandani Mafanya is currently in Tokyo, Japan where is he representing South Africa at the World Deaf Table Tennis Championships which ends on 6 May 2012. He is accompanied by his coach, Luke Abrahams, from South African Table Tennis Board (SATTB). Yandani’s trip to Tokyo is twofold: 1, to participate and 2, to gain much needed experience which will be used to for the benefit of SADSF upon his return. We hope that the lesson learnt there will assist our Deaf table tennis players in preparation for future international events. We are aware that some table tennis players are unhappy with being overlooked for these championships, but due to limited funding at our disposal, we had to carefully consider a number of factors and our decision is in the best interest of Deaf sport, in our opinion. Our view is that quality rather than quantity should apply in future international events and we stand firm in our belief that athletes have to be at their utmost best in order to be considered for international events.
World Deaf Athletics Championships – we will be sending a team consisting of 2 male and 2 female athletes to the World Deaf Athletics Championships to be held in Toronto, Canada from 14 to 21 July 2012. Due to limited time, we will consider outstanding athletes from the 2011 SA Games held in Limpopo and a few who produced outstanding performances at the 2009 Deaflympic Games. These athletes will be brought together for trials where a final team of 4 athletes will be selected. More information on this will be communicated with provincial Deaf sports Federations. Again we will select athletes based on quality and not quantity. So, those who will participate at the trials will have to be at their very best for them to be included in the team.
2013 Deaflympic Games – International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) has resolved to look at alternative host country for the 2013 Deaflympic Games after failure to reach a mutually beneficial agreement with Hungary. Now the focus is on Sofia, Bulgaria as a possible host for the 2013 Deaflympic Games and a final decision on this will be communicated to all the countries at the end of May 2012. It is highly unlikely that South Africa will be able to participate at the 2013 Deaflympic Games, but we will try our utmost best to secure funding for this, even if it means sending a small team that has the potential to bring medals home.
2012 National Deaf Development Games – we are encouraged by the support received from some Provincial Departments of Sports in terms of funding the provincial teams to participate at these important games. We know that other provinces are still struggling to secure any financial guarantee from the governments but we will keep pushing. With regard to logistics, for the games, everything is on track in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga and the Province will be ready to welcome all the participating teams. We are working closely with the Mpumalanga Department of Sport and so far so good in terms of preparations. In some codes, we will be using Deaf referees as part of our development drive.
Provincial Structures – most Provinces will be electing new office bearers this year in terms of provincial constitutions and SADSF will attend all these elections to monitor, facilitate and ensure that they are free and fair.
Administration – Amantle Makhutle, SADSF Administrative Officer, has resigned with effect from 1 May 2012. SADSF would like to thank her for her work and we wish her all of the very best in her future endeavours. In the meantime, Piet Mothoa will be in charge of the office and can be contacted at interpreter@sadeafsport.com
Despite some of the challenges we face, we continue to serve our athletes to the best of our abilities.
I thank you.
Julius
2013 Deaflympic Games – International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) has resolved to look at alternative host country for the 2013 Deaflympic Games after failure to reach a mutually beneficial agreement with Hungary. Now the focus is on Sofia, Bulgaria as a possible host for the 2013 Deaflympic Games and a final decision on this will be communicated to all the countries at the end of May 2012. It is highly unlikely that South Africa will be able to participate at the 2013 Deaflympic Games, but we will try our utmost best to secure funding for this, even if it means sending a small team that has the potential to bring medals home.
2012 National Deaf Development Games – we are encouraged by the support received from some Provincial Departments of Sports in terms of funding the provincial teams to participate at these important games. We know that other provinces are still struggling to secure any financial guarantee from the governments but we will keep pushing. With regard to logistics, for the games, everything is on track in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga and the Province will be ready to welcome all the participating teams. We are working closely with the Mpumalanga Department of Sport and so far so good in terms of preparations. In some codes, we will be using Deaf referees as part of our development drive.
Provincial Structures – most Provinces will be electing new office bearers this year in terms of provincial constitutions and SADSF will attend all these elections to monitor, facilitate and ensure that they are free and fair.
Administration – Amantle Makhutle, SADSF Administrative Officer, has resigned with effect from 1 May 2012. SADSF would like to thank her for her work and we wish her all of the very best in her future endeavours. In the meantime, Piet Mothoa will be in charge of the office and can be contacted at interpreter@sadeafsport.com
Despite some of the challenges we face, we continue to serve our athletes to the best of our abilities.
I thank you.
Julius