Letter from Jamaica & The history of the Black Power salute

MODERN Olympics is the greatest world sporting event and every sportsman and women’s dream is to march into an Olympic stadium to the greeting sounds of thousands of fans and millions of viewers on TV.

Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a French educationalist who sought to promote international harmony and understanding through sporting competition, founded the Games in the year 1894.

The great Frenchman strongly believed in the Olympic ideal that even enemies could be united in sporting competition.

His words “the most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning, but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well “, has become the most important Olympic quote, one that reminds me of the words of Tata Nelson Madiba Mandela when he 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. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers. ”

At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City during the medal ceremony of the 200m Tommy Smith (gold) and John Carlos (bronze) wearing black gloves, raised their fists in the black power salute, which was a symbol of defiance and resistance.

The silver medalist Peter Norman from Australia, despite not raising his fists, supported Tommy and John as all three wore the Olympic Project for Human Rights badges.

Carlos and Smith were sent home and banned from the Olympics for life.

For his actions Peter suffered in silence, as although qualifying 13 times for 200m and five times for the 100m at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, Australia never forgave him and even when the Olympics came to Sydney in 2000 32 years after the Black Power salute Australia still did not let him march.

Some administrators somewhere, denied Peter Norman his chance for further Olympic glory because they believed he was wrong to support the two ‘negroes’.

He could not even find a proper job. Now 48 years later, my good friends at the Olympic house in Namibia want to do the same to Tjipekapora Herunga, despite her having qualified three times.

Namibia is the only country where such comedy goes on and simply nothing happens, no wonder we are still at square one.

I was a proud father the other day when I saw my daughter swim in her first competition. She did not win but I was so proud of my little girl, I made sure to take a video to share with her mother, family and friends and everybody was over the moon.

I can imagine how Antie Riekie and Antie Baby, mothers of Frank Fredericks and Johanna Benson felt when they saw their children on the podium.

I also believe Gaby’s (Ahrens) parents must be as proud when they saw their daughter in London 2012 or when Agnes’ (Samaria) mother saw her in Athens 2004 and further all parents of Olympians.

Tjipekapora’s mother has the right to feel the same, as does the whole of Otjinene, family, friends, fans and the entire Namibia.

But I am not surprised at the status quo as none of the administrators at the Olympic House ever qualified or participated in an Olympics event and clearly do not understand what it takes, therefore it is like asking someone from China to prepare mahangu and marathon chicken.

I am not overly concerned about Tjipee, but it is the principle. If it was your son or daughter that was making these sacrifices and training hard, and then for someone after 20 years in administration who does not know the difference between boxing, wresting, shooting and cycling, that have specific qualifying competitions in comparison to athletics which is not the case, then such a person has no place in sport.

We have become the laughing stock in athletics and international sport circles.

For heaven’s sake, if Athletics Namibia (AN), the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) says she qualifies then I suppose the next letter is to heaven, where else?

This weekend will see the Namibia National Senior Athletics Championships at the Independence Stadium, which is a one day event, hello wake up! Let us not come with qualifying standards as if we are the USA or Jamaica.

In Jamaica trials are from 30 June to 3 July and not just on one day. In the USA they have hundreds of Olympic qualifiers, while in Namibia we are fighting against the only one we have on the track instead of working together and building a better future in all sports until Namibia has a team of 100 at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

If any athlete makes the standard they deserve to go, period, not all the officials that will go to Rio but have contributed nothing.

Power to the athletes. Komesho!

Letu Hamhola

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.