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Swimming South Africa sends cease and desist letter to newly formed independent water polo body

Swimming South Africa sends cease and desist letter to newly formed independent water polo body
Dane Tucker of South Africa in action during the World Aquatics Men’s Water Polo World Cup against New Zealand on 7 May 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo: Maja Hitij / Getty Images)
Keanan Hemmonsbey
By Keanan Hemmonsbey
20 Mar 2025
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Swimming South Africa (SSA) have come out hard, with lawyers at hand, against SA Water Polo (SAWP), a body wanting to run the administrative processes of the sport.

SSA yesterday sent a cease and desist demand to the newly formed SAWP, as they look to maintain control of the water polo arm of their aquatics umbrella.

Last week, SAWP released a statement of intent, underlining their ambition to control the sport on an administrative level — owing to their continued perceived inadequacies of SSA’s ability to do so. They, however, stated clearly that SAWP is “not a breakaway” but rather “an empowered evolution of water polo in South Africa, undertaken by the sport’s true custodians”.

SAWP said that they were willing to work alongside SSA. SSA, instead, hit back a few days later and launched their own “strategic framework”, which outlined their own plans to steer water polo into the right direction after a few abysmal years. They also distanced themselves from SAWP in their announcement, noting that the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) and World Aquatics both only recognise one national body.

SAWP noted that if SSA was not willing to work together, that they would seek control of the sport through World Aquatics, who only recognise one body, but recognises the body with the most members — which SAWP believes they have after canvassing support since last year.

In order to put a stop to any of SAWP’s ambitions, SSA have sought legal help by sending a cease and desist letter to stop the autonomous group.

Dane Tucker of South Africa in action Dane Tucker of South Africa in action during the World Aquatics Men's Water Polo World Cup against New Zealand on 7 May 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo: Maja Hitij / Getty Images)


Cease and desist letter


SSA, through their lawyers, have claimed that because their own constitution and Sascoc’s constitution do not allow for another body to run water polo, SAWP is an illegitimate organisation.

“Our instructions are that the [SAWP] (to the extent that it wishes to control water polo) has been established in contravention of the Sports and Recreation Act, our client’s Constitution as well as the Constitution of Sascoc (and the Olympic Charter),” the letter stated.

Read more: Swimming South Africa’s water polo arm sinks while new independent body swims

“Accordingly, we are instructed to call upon you and the interim steering committee of South Africa Water Polo NPC (SAWP) to immediately desist from holding itself out to be the custodian and administrator of water polo in the Republic.”

SSA’s lawyers have given SAWP until the end of business on Thursday 20 March to retract a social media post wherein SAWP claims to be the administrator of the sport, as well as publishing another post “to the effect that the NPC and all persons acting through it will henceforth cease, or purport, to administer water polo in the Republic, and confirm that water polo is solely administered by our client, Swimming South Africa”.

DMA Law — Attorneys, Notaries & Conveyancers, the company employed by SSA to send the cease and desist letter, further stated that if SAWP do not follow their directive that they will take the matter further, to the High Court.

“Should the undertaking and the publication… not be forthcoming, then our client will have no alternative but to launch urgent proceedings in the High Court to interdict and prevent the [SAWP] and those working through it, from passing itself off as the organiser and administrator of water polo in the Republic, and from carrying out any functions pertaining thereto.”

At the time of publishing, it appeared that SAWP would not back down under legal duress from SSA and retract any comments or social media posts.

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

SAWP, meanwhile, through interim CEO Robbie Taylor, yesterday put out a message encouraging members to join and register for the newly launched group.

New era


“Right now, we are at the beginning of a new era for water polo in South Africa,” he said.

“For too long, the sport has lacked structure, governance, leadership, and the right investment to allow our players to truly compete on the world stage.

“The sport thrives at school level and becomes a desperate, mismanaged debacle at senior level. It is time to give our children a future they deserve where an Olympic medal can become a reality.”

Among the more recent governance complaints from SSA by SAWP are an under-15 water polo tournament taking place in Zimbabwe, where players and parents were given a one-week notice for payment in excess of R20,000 per player.

“No selection process, no coaches, no budget, and no flights booked,” SAWP’s statement read regarding the tournament’s preparation by SSA.

SAWP has shown no intent to step down, while SSA has attempted to take action to silence them. This issue seems to be in its first chukka, with a meandering road ahead between two organisations fighting for power. DM

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