Olympic champion Tatjana Smith has put Swimming South Africa (SSA) under further pressure, with the former star swimmer demanding interest on prize money she says was withheld for more than a year.
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Why are Tatjana Smith and Swimming SA in a disagreement?
The dispute reportedly centres on $35 000 (about R560 000 at current exchange rates) awarded to Smith after her standout performance at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
Smith won silver in the 100m breaststroke and gold in the 200m breaststroke at the championships, becoming the first South African woman to win a World Championship gold medal.
While the medals arrived, however, the prize money did not. According to a letter of demand sent by Hurter Spies Attorneys on behalf of Smith and her husband, Joel, the money was eventually paid only after Smith had competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Going the legal route
The latest legal move is now focused on the interest that allegedly accumulated while the money was being held.
The Smiths’ lawyers are demanding payment of the outstanding interest, as well as information showing where the prize money was kept between the time SSA received it from World Aquatics and the eventual payment to Smith. The letter gave SSA 10 days to meet the demands, putting 4 September 2026 as the deadline.
The issue has been described as one of principle rather than simply a dispute over the amount of interest. Attorney Wian Spies said the concern was that athletes should not have to wait years to receive money earned through their performances.
The legal dispute also raises questions about how a sporting federation already facing significant scrutiny handles athlete earnings.
Reportedly, the original delay was linked to a dispute over Smith’s competition kit at the 2023 championships. According to her legal representatives, SSA had informed Smith that she was being fined €46 000 because she had not competed in the prescribed Arena kit.
Smith wore specialised equipment, including a Speedo swimsuit and goggles, but did wear the Arena swimming cap. The legal representatives later challenged the fine, describing the process as arbitrary. The penalty was subsequently withdrawn, according to Spies.
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The timing also became a major point of contention because the proposed fine was higher than Smith’s competition winnings, effectively giving SSA grounds to hold back the full amount.
“The fines were not reasonable at all.” Spies said. The prize money was ultimately paid during the Paris Olympics in 2024. However, according to the letter of demand, the interest was not included.
The letter alleges that Joel Smith asked SSA chief operating officer Mafata Modutoane why the interest had not been included when he was shown proof of payment in Paris. According to the lawyers, Modutoane responded: “I kept the interest as a management fee.”
The letter says the Smiths were initially unsure whether the comment was intended as a joke or whether the interest had actually been retained as a personal bonus. Modutoane has not commented on the substance of the allegations, saying that he had handed the matter to his legal team.
He confirmed that the formal correspondence had been received and said SSA would respond through the appropriate legal channels.
World Aquatics’ Aquatics Integrity Unit provisionally suspended SSA president Alan Fritz and CEO Shaun Adriaanse in August over alleged potential violations of the World Aquatics Integrity Code. The allegations relate to matters including alleged abuse of power and the provision of false information and fake documents.
More comment on the dispute
The suspensions have added to growing scrutiny of the national swimming federation and its leadership. Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has also criticised the situation, describing the developments as ’embarrassing’ during a parliamentary portfolio committee meeting.
McKenzie said changes to the country’s sports and recreation legislation were being considered, arguing that the current system makes it difficult for the minister to intervene directly in the affairs of sporting federations.
Smith’s career has included Olympic gold and silver medals, a World Championship gold and a place among the country’s most successful swimmers. Her 2023 World Championships victory was historic, while her performance at the Paris Olympics further cemented her status as one of South Africa’s leading sporting figures.
This makes the disagreement over relatively straightforward prize-money administration an uncomfortable one. Athletes compete under intense pressure, often with years of training and sacrifice behind a single race. When prize money linked directly to those performances is delayed, questions about transparency and accountability inevitably follow.
The Smiths are now seeking not only the outstanding interest but also clarity on where the money was held during the period in question. SSA is expected to make the interest payment before the 10-day deadline expires, according to reports.
Originally published by Cape{town}etc.
Also see: ‘I wish I could give you more,’- fan gifts Tatjana Smith R100 as token of appreciation
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