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Cape Town - SA Minister of Sport and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula, has acknowledged the outcry over the outfits worn by Team SA at the Rio Olympics.
Social media has been scything of the tracksuits in particular that the SA contingent in Brazil have been asked to wear.
This comes after South African fans were embarrassed by the team’s opening ceremony apparel, where they donned tracksuits as opposed to other countries who wore blazers or traditional clothing.
According to sports journalist Graeme Joffe, South Africa were supposed to wear another tracksuit inspired outfit (see below) for the opening ceremony, but declined to wear it and opted for their green and gold oversized tracksuits instead.
The golf bags carried by Jaco van Zyl and Brandon Stone's caddies have also come under fire for their "throw-back to the 1990s look" and not even having the names of the players emblazoned on them.
Mbalula took to Twitter on Saturday to admit to sharing the same sentiments as the public, adding it should never happen again and that SA's athletes deserve better.
Ironically, Mbalula was also pictured alongside Chad le Clos wearing the under-fire tracksuit.
No swag for team SA at the Olympics. I share same sentiments with all of you. This should never happen again. Our athletes deserve better.
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) August 13, 2016
The Champ ???????? @chadleclos ???????????? pic.twitter.com/cbMD5Ja9ne
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) August 13, 2016
TeamSA was given this to wear at opening ceremony. No wonder they switched to tracksuits. Feel for the athletes! pic.twitter.com/oG6ezPdaed
— Graeme Joffe (@Joffersmyboy) August 6, 2016
