19 December 2008 FM's WINNERS & LOSERS Administrative letdown By Thebe Mabanga

In an era where SA soccer is awash with cash from sponsors and rich owners, it is refreshing to see a mixture of old-fashioned values and solid professionalism succeed at PSL champions SuperSport United. The team are a mixture of hot talent, such as Katlego Mashego , and quality foreign players, such as Liberia' s Anthony Laffor. Its two successive local coaches, Pitso Mosimane and Gavin Hunt, bucked the trend prevalent at big clubs where foreign coaches are in vogue. United are a young side driven by courage, just like the SA Paralympics team, whose haul of 30 medals shows that SA is still a nation of winners. At the Beijing Olympics, China not only won the most medals but its hosting and spectacular ceremonies had audiences in awe. The world marvelled at great achievements from the likes of American swimmer Michael Phelps, who scooped eight gold medals in the pool, and Jamaican speed merchant Usain Bolt in the 100 m and 200 m. Khotso Mokoena allowed South Africans some pride as he leapt to a silver medal in the long jump. In the same week in November that a black man made history with a thunderous march to the White House, another black man, Lewis Hamilton, became the first of his colour and the youngest driver in history to win the Formula One championship, with a fifth-place finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The biggest loser this year was the SA Football Association. Its handling of SA coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's resignation was farcical and the credentials of replacement Joel Santana remain questionable. Safa is in good company with the SA Olympic team who, with the exception of Mokoena, failed miserably. Also falling short are a number of SA sports administrators, who should be doing community service for their sins.