The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee has welcomed Bidvest as an official partner of Team South Africa, which includes naming rights for the relaunched Operation Excellence programme.
Thanks to a cash injection of R66-million by Bidvest, the OPEX programme has been revived, a little over a year before South African athletes will represent the country at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
Athletes who become part of the Bidvest OPEX programme will enjoy a range of benefits, including living expenses, medical aid, local and international camps and competitions, and scientific and medical support services, to name a few.
“There is an undeniable link between funding of athletes and Olympic medals,” said Barry Hendricks, President of SASCOC. “Thanks to Bidvest for partnering with us on this journey, and while Paris is just around the corner in terms of an elite athlete’s preparation, it is a welcome cash injection, even if the full results will only be seen at Los Angeles 2028.”
South African Olympians who have previously benefitted from the OPEX programme include: Matthew Brittain, Chad le Clos, Ryk Neethling, Sizwe Ndlovu, Roland Schoeman, Caster Semenya, John Smith, James Thompson, Cameron van der Burgh and Wayde van Niekerk.
Names of athletes joining the relaunched programme will be announced in due course. SASCOC has received submissions from national federations across the three tiers and there are currently teams conducting future talent identification sessions to seek, support and develop young sports people to become future Olympians.
Those three tiers are the following:
- Top tier – podium potential
- Second tier – developing athletes
- Third tier – grassroots levels
“Bidvest is proud to join forces with SASCOC to support those South African sportsmen and women with the potential to compete at the highest level in international sporting events. We particularly look forward to identifying and developing South Africa’s next generation of Olympic athletes. This partnership has deep resonance across our group, where we continually train and develop new young talent and promote operating excellence within all Bidvest companies,” said Bidvest Group Chief Executive, Mpumi Madisa.
The long-term impact of OPEX is only expected to be felt at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
“As a former Olympic athlete who was on the OPEX programme, I know what a difference it made to my career. At SASCOC, there is a commitment to put the interests of the athlete first and I have no doubt that the re- emergence of the OPEX programme is going to make a huge difference to our athletes in their preparations. I’m excited to see the potential,” said former long jumper and Chairperson of the Athletes Commission, Khotso Mokoena.
