SASCOC not rushing to change its name to Sport SA

President Barry Hendricks has indicated that the name-changing process will take place only after the conclusion of the current financial year at the end of March next year.

Hendricks revealed that the Special General Meeting has granted approval for the name change and authorised the adaptation of the new name.

Nevertheless, SACOC encountered a setback when it was discovered that another entity already owned the desired name.

Subsequently, SASCOC engaged in negotiations with the rightful owner, including significant financial costs for the acquisition of naming rights.

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“Certainly, the procedure is straightforward, and indeed, it is a straightforward process. We are presently collaborating with the CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission) to ensure the proper name registration. Although legal challenges have arisen in the process, we remain committed to the endeavour. The name “Sport South Africa” has received approval at the previous general assembly, and we are actively pursuing the necessary steps to actualize this, as stated by Hendricks in his interview with the national broadcaster.

“We’re not rushing to change the name as the SASCOC brand continues to have recognition, and our programs are still known. It’s important that we previously adjusted the name to include the Paralympics, and though progress has been made, it hasn’t been as rapid as we hoped. Nevertheless, we are steadfast on this journey. We urge people to exercise patience with the process and come next year, we plan to officially reveal the new name to the wider public,” clarified Hendricks.

Hendricks and his team are set to take a holiday before resuming a demanding schedule, gearing up for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris next year. While acknowledging their intention to bring a substantial team to the Games, Hendricks refrained from committing to a specific medal count.

“It’s still too early to determine because we’re uncertain about the number of athletes who have qualified and total events. Recently, there were three slots for athletes who qualified in Nigeria for canoeing, emphasizing the unpredictability of the figures. Nevertheless, our policy remains unchanged regarding taking a sizable team to the Games. If athletes qualify through the standard federation processes, we are dedicated to bringing those teams or athletes to Paris,” Hendricks emphasized.