Alan Fritz - Swimming SA needs facilities to host a major international event
2nd September 2025
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Swimming South Africa president Alan Fritz has admitted that the federation is unable to host any major international competition due to the lack of proper facilities in the country.
Fritz told SABC Sport that while there is a strong desire to welcome top swimming nations to South Africa, the reality is that inadequate infrastructure rules out any possibility.
He revealed that even if approached by World Aquatics to stage a global event, the answer would unfortunately be no.
He stressed that at this stage, SA is not in a position to even consider staging such competitions.
The former SASCOC board member explained that while South Africa does have training facilities for athletes, they fall short when it comes to competition-standard venues required for international tournaments.
He pointed out specific provinces where facilities are outdated and urgently need upgrades, highlighting that this remains one of the sport’s biggest stumbling blocks.
"There are facilities available that our athletes could use to train, but only if they are maintained.
"What we need is competition facilities, we need Kingspark, and the swimming pool in Port Elizabeth to be of such a standard that those venues can host international events. We also hope to build these kinds of facilities.
"The Western Cape is a major tourist attraction, and yet there are no facilities in that province that reach the international standard."
The former swimming instructor insisted that the sport has a bright future, but warned that without immediate intervention, it risks collapsing.
He urged authorities to prioritize investment in facilities for the benefit of future generations, stressing that swimming must be preserved to give young athletes opportunities to thrive.
