Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie fires back at Peace Mabe’s comments over Israel’s involvement at the Olympics
Peace Mabe, the deputy minister of sport, arts, and culture, has spoken out against the government’s participation in the prestigious sports competition being held in Paris.
The Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture released a statement saying, “The Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture condemns the participation of the genocidal state of Israel in the Paris 2024 Olympics as it seriously undermines the principles of Olympianism.”
According to Mabe, these values include sustainability, autonomy and good governance, unity in variety, universality and solidarity, and autonomy.
Gayton McKenzie, the minister of sports, retaliated to Mabe’s remarks, claiming that she was promoting politics rather than offering assistance to South African sportsmen.
“I shall respond fully in regards to my displeasure about the statement released by Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture Ms Peace Mabe only after the Olympics. I don’t want politics to take centre stage now, this is the time for @OfficialTeamRSA, let’s rally behind them,” McKenzie wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
I shall respond fully in regards to my displeasure about the statement released by Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture Ms Peace Mabe only after the Olympics. I don’t want politics to take centre stage now, this is the time for @OfficialTeamRSA, let’s rally behind them 👊🏾👊🏾👊🏾
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) July 27, 2024
In the statement Mabe said she sees Israel’s presence at the Olympics as, “grossly inhuman and indicative of scant regard for thousands of Palestinian lives lost as a result of continued genocide by Israel against women, children, men, the elderly and the sick.”
Russia and Belarus are among the countries forbidden from competing in this year’s Olympics after the International Olympic Committee agreed to suspend them due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine