Swimming SA fights for water polo control, launches new ‘strategic framework’ for the sport

Olufunke Gando of South Africa of South Africa during the Women's Water Polo match against Canada at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

14 Mar 2025

Swimming South Africa has not ceded power over water polo as it announces measures to improve the sport and cites ‘due process’.

Swimming South Africa (SSA) has rejected an offer of collaboration from the newly launched autonomous water polo group SA Water Polo (SAWP).

In a statement published on Thursday, SSA announced a strategic framework to improve water polo through its internal structures.

Swimming South Africa CEO Shaun Adriaanse. (Photo: Steve Haag / Gallo Images)

“Despite calls to circumvent constitutional mandates for individual interests, SSA remains firm that any constitutional amendments must follow due process, ensuring accountability and transparency,” the SSA statement read.

“Parallel or unauthorised structures will not be recognised.”

SSA said it had appointed an “operations committee” to “standardise processes, strengthen athlete-centric development and enforce compliance with governance protocols.”

“South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) explicitly supports the principle of recognising only one national federation per sport,” SSA said.

“According to Sascoc’s constitution: ‘Only one (1) National Federation shall be recognised as a Member governing a sport or one (1) or more related disciplines of the sport in the Republic’.

“According to the World Aquatics Constitution, only one national body per country is recognised as a member. The relevant section states: ‘Only one National Body shall be recognised as a Member in each Country’.”

Joshua Faber of South Africa during the World Aquatics Championships 2023 13th-16th place match against Argentina in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo: Albert ten Hove / BSR Agency / Getty Images)

SAWP, in its letter of intent, published on Tuesday, signalled its intention to work alongside SSA in improving water polo in the country, in a similar fashion to several other countries whose aquatic sports – such as water polo, swimming, open water swimming, diving and artistic swimming – run independently, but under a national aquatic umbrella.

In South Africa, all aforementioned aquatics sports are run by one body — SSA.

Structured change

SSA said it recently had a strategic workshop to “enhance the development and competitiveness of water polo in the country”.

It had “structured [a] roadmap aimed at integrating the school sports environment with a more robust club system”.

“This framework is designed to create a strong foundation for elite player development, ensuring South African water polo remains competitive on the international stage.”

SSA has identified several areas that require fixing across water polo structures, including limited club infrastructure, dysfunctional provincial structures, school sport compliance issues, financial irregularities and a lack of transformation.

As reported earlier this week by Daily Maverick, SSA appointed Stefano Vigoriti as its executive director, but after SSA refused to agree to his strategy of turning the water polo ship around, he stepped down.

Vigoriti outlined the “rigid” SSA constitution as a big hurdle in implementing meaningful change as well as a lack of cooperation from SSA executive members.

“In an effort to rectify ongoing governance and operational deficiencies, SSA previously appointed an individual to guide the restructuring process,” the SSA statement read, referring to Vigoriti.

“However, this intervention did not yield the desired outcomes. Consequently, SSA will appoint a dedicated task team to conduct a comprehensive investigation and implement necessary corrective measures.

“SSA will also engage with key stakeholders, including provincial federations, school sports bodies, [Sascoc], to ensure alignment with national and international governance structures.

Olufunke Gando of South Africa during the Women’s Water Polo match against Canada at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)

“Additionally, SSA will collaborate with World Aquatics and other international bodies to benchmark best practices and ensure that South African water polo is positioned to compete at the highest levels globally.”

This does beg the question of what SSA has been doing if it is only now implementing these fundamental steps in governance.

Power struggle

According to World Aquatics’ constitution, the water polo body which holds majority support in a country will be recognised by the international swimming federation.

While SAWP has requested a smooth transition in taking over control of the governance of water polo, it did also say that if SSA did not comply, SAWP would vie for control of the sport through the processes provided.

Following the canvassing of support SAWP has done over the past year, as well as the calibre of administrators – most of whom are SSA members – on its interim executive committee, swaying the vote of World Aquatics does seem viable.

Nonetheless, SSA, which is currently in charge of the sport, will not go down without a fight.

“As a federation, we are dedicated to the structured and disciplined growth of all aquatic disciplines, including water polo,” said Shaun Adriaanse, CEO of SSA.

“The challenges identified in our recent audit demand immediate intervention, and we are implementing measures to ensure a sustainable and well-managed water polo ecosystem.”

The wrestle for power over water polo seems to have just begun, with SAWP now like a dog with a bone and SSA an owner with a whistle that has gone mute. DM

Categories:

Tags:

DM is much better if you are signed in...

South Africa

Structured change

Power struggle