New research exposes inequities in sports access for South African youth

<p>Lead researcher, Dr Poppy Bhengu, during her graduation in 2025. </p>

<p>Image: Shelley Christians/UWC</p>

<p>Many lack basic necessities such as running shoes and appropriate sporting attire, which restrict participation from the outset. Inadequate nutrition emerged as an additional and often overlooked challenge, undermining athletic performance and reducing the likelihood that young people from poorer communities can reach their full potential.</p>

<p>Researchers found these resource gaps do more than limit participation; they distort the talent identification process itself.</p>

<p>Participants in the study noted that identifying promising athletes is considerably more difficult in underprivileged communities, where limited facilities and a lack of awareness among parents and community members about sports development pathways leaves many talented young people invisible to scouts and selectors. </p>

<p>Financial constraints compound the problem, with registration fees, transport costs, equipment purchases and travel to competitions placing organised sport out of reach for many families.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, athletes from affluent communities benefit from greater visibility, structured exposure and consistent development opportunities, advantages that position them more favourably for progression to elite levels, regardless of raw talent.</p>

<p>The researchers found that these inequalities are not incidental but are reinforced by broader social and institutional factors that entrench disadvantage across generations. Athletes from privileged backgrounds continue to benefit from compounding opportunities, while talented youth from poorer communities are systematically excluded. The barriers extend beyond finances to include limited parental support, weak community sports structures and exclusionary sporting environments.</p>

<p>Despite efforts since the end of apartheid to promote equity in sport, the researchers noted that these challenges remain widespread. The result is that many young athletes fail to realise their potential, not because of a lack of talent, but because the systems meant to develop that talent were never designed with them in mind.</p>

<p>The study argues that talent identification systems must evolve beyond a narrow focus on physical ability and immediate performance.</p>

<p>“A more holistic approach, one that accounts for long-term development potential, coaching quality, psychological resilience, and family support, is needed to surface talent that current systems routinely miss,” said Dr Bhengu. </p>

<p>"The findings underscore the urgent need to confront these systemic inequalities and implement multifaceted strategies to promote genuine equity and inclusivity in sports," the researchers concluded.</p>

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Guardian Sport · Jun 24

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