Vusi Voetsek: Politics, greed and cheats: Not the best week for sport

Controversy, shock and surprise.

These are probably the three best words to describe what has transpired in golf, tennis and road running this week.

It is always sad and disappointing when sport and politics collide, but it is nothing new.

Going back in history, politics played its part in women being barred from participating in sport, many Olympic Games have been highly-charged affairs due to politics, and who can forget how South Africa’s sporting past was impacted because of Apartheid.

Whatever one’s stance is in the world of politics, there’s just no getting away from it when it comes to sport.

Everyone has an opinion, right or wrong, and emotions cannot be suppressed.

Tennis

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine has impacted much in the world, and sport has not escaped it, sadly.

Once again in the last few days there have been many nasty words spoken and gestures made between tennis players in Paris at the French Open, leaving a sour taste in the mouth.

There is anger and frustration, bitterness and annoyance … and no one can deny how someone should feel, but it is not lekker when politics infiltrates sport.

I wish these wonderful tennis players, who are so talented and skilful, would put politics aside and just play the game.

LIV Golf

There’s probably no better example of politics and sport being intertwined than what has gone down in golf in recent months, and in the last few days.

For so long so many, including the PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan, criticised and expressed their unhappiness about the breakaway LIV Golf Tour being backed by money from Saudi Arabia, just for those same people to jump into bed with them this week.

How, and why, is it now okay?

The full details of how golf’s ‘civil war’ was ended and what the future of the game looks like are yet to be revealed, but from what I have read this is hardly a “merger”, but rather the PGA Tour and DP World Tour (European Tour) now being supported financially by LIV Golf, through Saudi Arabian money.

The turnaround in stance towards LIV Golf is mind-boggling and almost unbelievable … but then money always talks and wins the day.

So many friendships have broken down between golfers, the pettiness in some has been staggering and sad … all due to politics and money.

One has to wonder if any of those broken relationships will ever mend, and whether golf, as we knew it just a few years ago, will ever be the same?

Comrades

On Sunday around 18,000 runners will take on the arduous 87km route between Pietermaritzburg and Durban in the hope of reaching the finish line under 12 hours to bag a much-treasured Comrades medal and to be able to say “I conquered the Ultimate Human Race.”

However, 25 runners who entered the event will watch from the sidelines after they were disqualified this week from running because they entered false and incorrect information about their qualifying times on their entry forms.

Why, why why?

I don’t know the full details of what information was incorrect and false, but it just seems so silly and unnecessary to try take a short cut. What is the point?

If you’re not strong enough, or have not run the qualifying time in order to enter the Comrades legitimately, I can tell you now no matter what you put on your entry form you’re not going to finish your run.

Anyway, good luck to all running on Sunday. May it be a good day and may you achieve all your goals!

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