Sport in South Africa

Today it may seem difficult to believe, but under the apartheid system sport in South Africa was segregated. Teams with both black and white players weren't allowed. In the 1970s and 80s there were protests because of this all around the world, and South Africa was banned from international sport, including the Olympic Games. This only changed in 1994 when the government decided to hold democratic elections.

Today things are different. Everyone loves sport, and sports organisations have tried hard to break down racial barriers. In cricket and rugby, for example, there is a 'quota system'. This means that teams must always include a percentage of black players. However, there's a lot of discussion about this because white players might be disadvantaged now or black players might only be chosen because of the colour of their skin.

The 'big three' most popular sports are rugby, football and cricket. Rugby was always seen as a white man's game in South Africa. The Springboks — that's the nickname of the national team — are amazingly good at rugby, and it is not at all easy to beat them. The only other team that their proud supporters really respect are the New Zealand All Blacks. But in 1995, just after the end of apartheid, the Springboks beat the All Blacks, who were the favourites, and won the Rugby World Cup. The whole country celebrated when President Mandela put on a jersey with Springbok colours — the colours of a white man's sport — to present the cup. This was a truly proud moment for the new South Africa, which was on its way to becoming a more equal society. Five years after that match Mandela said, "Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does."

Football is without question one of the most popular sports in South Africa with a huge number of supporters in the black community, especially among young people. In 2010 South Africa hosted the World Cup — it was the first time the competition was hosted by an African country. Although South Africa didn't do well in the competition, there was a great atmosphere in the stadiums and the cities. Many will remember the loud noise of the vuvuzelas — whether they liked it or not.

Cricket was introduced by the British in the 19th century and it has a long history in South Africa. Today there are a number of successful young black players who are role models for the next generation.

Swimming is another sport where the country has been successful in big international competitions. Three of its ten Olympic medals in 2016 were for swimming. The world's largest open-water swim, the Midmar Mile, takes place in a lake near the city of Durban every February.

Horse racing is another popular sport. The Durban July race, which was first held in 1897, is Africa's greatest horse race with about 50,000 spectators every year. Cycle races attract many people who want to experience the country's most spectacular scenery very closely. With more than 35,000 cyclists, the Cape Town Cycle Tour is one of the largest cycle events in the world. The race begins in Cape Town and the 109-km route takes cyclists on a beautiful coastal road around the Cape Peninsula.