Unity in Athletics

 Unity in Athletics and its Social Process

 October 2006

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 03, 2006

Unity in Athletics and its Social Process

UNITY OF ATHLETICS AND ITS SOCIAL PROCESS

BACKGROUND DISCUSSIONON THE UNITY OF ATHLETICS AND ITS SOCIAL PROCESS

(University of Natal Black Students Sports Union)

Dear Comrades .... Greetings to you all. These points are presented to introduce discussions on the
athletic issues and its social process which the sporting organisations must deal with. It will also point
to the kinds of issues which can form the basis for Committees resolutions. These points are not meant
to be prescriptive and cannot claim to be a comprehensive overview of the present sporting crisis.
There are primarily to help discussion along.

A. CONTEXT

The first issue we should deal with is the overall context for the development of policies for the
sporting movement. Several points can be made about this. We need to see the development of sports
policies and strategies as a part of the struggle to engage the state in an overall constitutional process
that would result in the creation of a non- racial and democratic society. It must not, for instance be
separated from any of the strategies (the pillars) which our organisation has to build on in the struggle
for power. That means that the struggle for sports policies is part of the struggle around a climate for
negotiations and of mass campaigns. We have faced and continue to face sports apartheid in South
Africa. Many of the consequences of this will be with us for a long time yet. This crisis cannot be
resolved outside the resolving of the larger political, economic and constitutional issues which our
movement is addressing and until the present regime is removed. We cannot however wait until those
issues are resolved because we can develop strategies for the sports movement which are a part of
wider organisational strategies and advance the larger goals which we have in changing society. But,
our strategies must not only be responsive to the crisis, they must advance our longer term sports
development ideas and our social goals. Our strategies must be building blocks towards the sports
movement and social system we envisage. The focus of our attention are sporting issues. We need to
build some of the central issues of policy development into our sporting strategies. These include the
ideas about providing free coaching for all, democratic decision making, the fundamental right of
access and equity in sports facilities, literacy issues, linking the school sports programme with other
outside sports structures and developing the skills and potential of the people so that they can
contribute to the development of the sports movement in this country. We must also recognise that
the present government and the interest of big business are continuing to develop strategies to
undermine our influence in the shaping of sporting issues. There is a clear example of this in the
opportunistic and irresponsible comments made on possible participation in Tokyo Games this year
where the fundamental question of access, equity and development is totally ignored. Capital is also
interested in putting forward proposals about international tours which are designed to meet their
needs. In fact, there is a greater coincidence now between business and the present state about how
to deal with the issues of international participation and it will have drastic effects on the millions of
our people who will be left out in the process. That is why we must development our strategies of the
people as a whole. If we do not do so even a government of the ANC will be helpless in resolving the
crisis. It is the sports movement’s duty to provide the kind of leadership necessary to overcome the
strategies of our opponents. This means that the policy initiatives of our opponents must be negated
and our policies must be developed and clarified with the support and participation of our
constituencies. We must guard against piecemeal strategies which do not take us further but which
simply delay and deepen the crisis. The international community will definitely admit South Africa in
the Olympics; they have nothing to lose. We must take immediate measures to stop S. A’s participation
because they will be hindering the process of democratising the sports movement within the country.

B. STRATEGIES

In discussing strategies, we need to differentiate between those which need immediate action and
are short term and those which are directly related to and are the building blocks of our long term
policy objectives. We must also understand the relationship between the short and long term
strategies. For example, building of development programmes now is both an immediate strategic
intervention and a longer term objective for the building of a democratic sports structure. Similarly,
the demand for access to all facilities now builds upon our long term objective of equality and
democratic access to sports. It should also be understood that the strength or weakness of our
strategies is dependent on the capacity of our organisation to give effect. It does not mean that we
need to wait until our organisation is “perfect”. But the building of organisation goes together with
strategic interventions. They are not a substitute to strengthen each other. Strategies must grow from
a position of strength if they are to be successful. Strategies which are not based on organisation
strengths are easily turned against the organisation. This also means that we need to think and
develop sports policies so that they are debated and understood. This internal discussion and debate
will also facilitate campaigns which we have to embark on.

C. BUILDING ORGANISATION THROUGH STRATEGIES NOW

In order to develop our organisational capacities we have to carefully identify the kinds of issues
around which strategies can be built. These musts both address the immediate issues which our
constituencies face and advance the building of longer term organisational skills. The issues which we
identify must form the basis for campaigns. Here we must also recognise that campaigns are not
simple. We need to prepare for them, do serious propaganda work around the issues which we
develop, produce educational material to raise the level of awareness of the people and most of all
make sure of the support, through discussion and planning, of the crucial organisations we work with.
We must recognise the different levels of awareness and commitment. Also we must recognise the
different levels of awareness, preparedness and even commitment in the constituencies and we must
build at the pace of those who take the longest to get on board. This is not to say that everyone must
participate. It means that we must organise as carefully as we can across the organisation we hope to
bring into our campaigns. We must also be aware that one of the biggest challenges we face is to
develop a culture of sport. We need to make sport meaningful so that it becomes possible for activities
and participation to take place, so that our schools, and clubs become places of learning and thinking
about the kind of society we are struggling for. But we cannot do this unless there is an atmosphere
which is conducive to active involvement in participation. This means that we cannot talk about a
culture of sport without paying attention to other social and political policies which relate for example
to matters like adequate food, clothing and shelter, a place where activities can take place, the
necessary resources for learning and other forms of physical and environmental security. No activity
can take place in an atmosphere of fear and violence. We also face the challenge of helping to develop
organisations which will look into and represent the interest of the sporting constituency. That is
perhaps our greatest challenge. How do we assist to ensure the development of a SPORTING
MOVEMENT through which the interest and the ideas of students, parents, teachers and the
community as a whole are reflected? Naturally we must build on the great struggles of the past and
the experience which we have gained from it. Naturally we need to look at strategies which will make
our alliances with organisations involved in educational struggles come alive and we must also be free
to debate with them about what they regard as central issues for sport and social change. It is obvious
that we have to change things and help to develop the capacity of others and we must not be afraid
to criticise those organisational weaknesses we see including our own. In that way we will begin to
build strong an organisation. We need also to seriously engage with organisation in the wider Patriotic
Front. We are in an advantageous position in respect of those organisations because of our greater
strength and our track record. We approach the Patriotic Front from a position of strength. But at the
same time we must be open to give and receive criticism. This will enable us to present a wider a wider
challenge to the state and its allies and bring more constituencies into the sporting movement.

D. CAMPAIGNS AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

There are many sporting issues on which we can build campaigns. Each area or region can think of
campaign issues but in general our approach must also be national because we must resist the
temptation to become parochial. Our campaigns must be national and focussed. At the same time, it
is these campaign issues which can form the basis of resolutions while also building a long term policy
approach. Some of these issues and resolutions could be around the following: The first resolution
must in fact address itself to how we develop sporting policies. Here the principal of democratic
debate and discussion is paramount. It is clear that we must provide adequate information and the
forums for such debate and discussion for democratic and meaningful participation. We must
therefore to develop discussion materials and the structures through which such discussion and
debate can take place in a democratic way. Such materials must be easy to understand and must be
easily accessible. The formation of strong community clubs. Here our organisation must assist with
the formation of clubs in every area or region. These must be done carefully and on the basis of
discussions with teachers, students, parents and community leaders. A strategy which links with
campaigns to use facilities in schools, institutions and other places where there are sporting activities
that can take place. We can immediately move to create a bank of materials which can be used at
every level. There is a vast collection of such materials available and we need to look at how it can be
organised and used. Perhaps the most important strategy is the development of a PATRIOTIC FRONT
of organisations in sport. We need to move to get this together and to ensure that it is inclusive of the
forces of the liberation movement. Thank you for your patience Rishi Hansrajh 2/90 University of Natal
Durban UND

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