In the world of judo, champions are forged through dedication, discipline, and passion. Geronay Whitebooi’s journey is a testament to the resilience required in this demanding sport. However, behind the triumphs lies a stark reality — judo competitors face significant hurdles in securing the funding, exposure, and support crucial for their success.
In anticipation of an incredible 2024 journey, Whitebooi is gearing up for success. However, to compete at her best, she requires essential funding, which can only be made possible through donations. With your support, we can turn her aspirations into a tangible reality, propelling her towards victory and achieving her goals.
Funding struggles
Whitebooi commitment to judo is more than a personal choice; it’s a lifestyle. Despite this dedication, financial challenges persist. While travel support is available, personal expenses remain a burden.
“Sometimes I would want to go to an international training camp to prepare for a big event or any other event. And then I can’t go and train in them, because I only have enough [funding] to do the competition.” Revealed the 28-year-old.
The 28-year-old athlete receives a budget from the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), offering some financial leeway to compete on the global stage. Nonetheless, the nature of this budget often hinders her participation in essential training camps and competitions against international judoka.
“The training camps, that is where the difficulty comes in, because I could do the competition, but I can’t do the training camps afterwards due to the strict budget that I receive from SASCOC. The judo that we are doing in South Africa compared to the judo that’s done in the rest of the world is vastly different.”
International constraints
International exposure is pivotal for a judo champion’s development. Whitebooi stresses the importance of experiencing diverse international judo styles. However, strict budgets limit participation in international training camps, impacting the level at which South African judo competes globally.
“It is so important to go and train and compete in Europe or Asia because you get to see the different styles of judo and the way judo is on an international level where South Africa, the judo is still developing. It’s not on the level that it needs to be for in order for you to compete, internationally. “
Competing on an international stage not only fulfils the dreams of athletes but also serves as a beacon for future generations. Whitebooi embodies the spirit of a trailblazer, aiming to become the role model she lacked growing up.
“I always had to look up to males as my role models. And that is something that I, myself want to work on. I want to be that person that someone could look up to and be like, at least they have one female that they know made it far enough to show them that they can also do it because previously it was just males.”
Lack of exposure
Exposure is one of the crucial building blocks in any athlete’s path to success, as it not only showcases their talent and skills but also helps to educate sports enthusiasts in sports they are unsure about. As judo is still a developing sport in South Africa, participants struggle to grow their careers, simply because of the lack of knowledge that surrounds the sport.
“I think people because they don’t love the sport, as much as team sports like rugby or netball, or even swimming. It’s difficult to get the funding in because people don’t know the sport.”
Judo remains overshadowed by mainstream sports, struggling for visibility. Limited television coverage and promotional efforts hinder its growth. Whitebooi emphasizes the need for increased awareness and promotion to attract sponsors, elevate the sport’s profile, and provide competitors with the support they deserve.
“I think they get to televise the national championships, but that’s it. All the other events, even the Africa championships, all those events are usually through YouTube or Facebook. There’s no set channel where they could actually show these events.”
Whitebooi’s story illuminates the challenges faced by judo competitors. It’s time to take action, invest in the future of judo, and ensure that dedicated athletes receive the backing they need to become champions.
Call to action
At ProTouch.Africa, we’re thrilled to announce our support for Geronay Whitebooi’s judo journey in the upcoming 2024 season through our Podium Pursuit Collective, which seeks to aid Geronay on her journey to greatness.
To make her dreams a reality, she is seeking your support through a crowdfunding campaign. By becoming a supporter, you play a crucial role in fuelling Geronay’s passion and empowering her on the global stage.
ABOUT PROTOUCH AFRICA
PROTOUCH AFRICA is a purpose-led and Sports Tech business founded in 2016 with a focus on enabling African Athletes to perform on the World Stage.
It is pioneering new ways for fans to interact and engage with their favourite teams, leagues, and athletes and enable alternative revenue streams.
ProTouch Africa’s Podium Pursuit Project is focused on creating a transparent and sustainable funding mechanism for the next generation of African Athletes. Its vision is to launch the World’s first fan-owned impact investment platform for African Athletes in Q1 of 2024 by assembling an ecosystem of top-performing athletes, their fans, and the brands that support them.
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