Leon Fleisher: SASCOC to take squad of 109 athletes to Commonwealth Games

Swimming and athletics are expected to spearhead the country’s medal charge, with both federations carrying strong prospects.

Fleisher emphasised that the Games come at a crucial stage of South Africa’s high-performance programme, describing the multi-sport spectacle as an important benchmark on the road to the Los Angeles Olympic Games. 

"So, Commonwealth Games is always a big step for us in terms of we always use it as our benchmark for Olympics in certain sports especially athletics, para athletics, swimming, para swimming,” Fleisher said.

“Remember Commonwealth is the biggest integrated sports event with both para and able bodied athletes so we are very happy that athletics and swimming have remained part of the programme. 

“Remember for these Commonwealth Games there's only 10 sports and we were very glad. We were very upset that they dropped hockey and rugby because it was very important but be that as it may we're very happy that athletics and swimming have stayed in. 

“We are taking a very strong athletics, swimming, para athletics, para swimming team hopefully pending qualification and normally people that do well at a Commonwealth Games normally perform at the Olympic Games two years later. 

“So, the timing is good, at the same time of the year as the Games are gonna be in LA in 2028 obviously weather is a little bit different. 

“Glasgow is very warm now and it is usually very rainy all the time. But we are very excited, we are looking at a team size of around 109 athletes across the 10 sports. Netball has already qualified."

Fleisher, the longest-serving member of SASCOC’s leadership structures, further revealed that the Olympic body will provide direct financial support to athletes as part of their build-up to Glasgow. 

Individual competitors will receive R50 000 in preparation funding, a move aimed at easing the financial burden on federations and ensuring optimal performance. 

He also outlined SASCOC’s broader funding model and qualification support strategy.

"And Para lawn bowl except for women have qualified, so we've got three para lawn bowl men and one visually impaired woman. So, hopefully the para lawn bowls also do well, you know our para lawn bowls normally bring a lot of medals,’ he added.

“So, we'll know by the end of April final team size but I would say probably worst case scenario 109, let me say best case and then less than that depending on some of the qualification sports which includes wheelchair basketball which have their qualifiers at the end of March in Angola and that's the 3x3. 

“So, we are very committed to the Commonwealth Games in terms of performance, we also have our own Commonwealth Operation Excellence. So, for athletes that may make the Commonwealth and not go further, so we are giving them R50 000 up until 31 March and then we will see what they need leading up to the Games. “They'll probably get R50 000 again if they are still on the programme, that's individual sport. 

“We got some funding from Commonwealth Sports, to help the parasports which we've used for them to go to World Champs and things like that and also now for wheelchair basketball to go to the qualifiers."