South Africa: Vuvuzelas so far quiet for Banyana Banyana

In just a few weeks Banyana Banyana, the women’s football team in South Africa, head off to London to compete for Olympic gold. It is a moment of great national pride; only two African women’s teams are among the 12 nations competing, all of who have beat out strong competitors on the long road to qualification. However, so far, the fanfare and support for this outstanding accomplishment has been very quiet.

Of course, Banyana Banyana are not the only women competing under the South African flag in London. Yet for such a football fanatic nation, it seems especially odd that the media and country have been mostly silent. Had it been Bafana Bafana on their way to the global event, we would no doubt be following the exciting journey through daily newspaper updates, loud public demonstrations of support, and even special advertisements wishing the boys great luck.

This is just one example of how achievements of women and girls in sport tend to go unnoticed. It is also a symptom of a larger problem of gender transformation within sport. The Commission for Gender (CGE) is currently investigating this very issue within the football community. Click here to read more.

Source: GL Opinion and Commentary Service