Running from Comrades commentary

2013/06/02, Sunrise over the Comrades Marathon 2013, up run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. The mens winner was Claude Moshiywa, and the womans winner was Elena Nurgalieva. Picture: Adrian de Kock

2013/06/02, Sunrise over the Comrades Marathon 2013, up run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. The mens winner was Claude Moshiywa, and the womans winner was Elena Nurgalieva. Picture: Adrian de Kock

Published Jun 3, 2013

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It was left, as it so often is when it comes to running, for Bruce Fordyce to bring some dignity, class and common bleeding sense to the coverage of the Comrades Marathon yesterday. It was also left to Jordie (@rpj71) to repeat it on Twitter for all who had missed it: “Why,” wondered Fordyce’s co-commentator as Claude Moshiywa slowed down towards the end of the race. “Claude looks so good and strong…Bruce… why is he walking?” Bruce’s reply was gold: “Probably because he has already run 80km…”

Moshiywa could afford to take a break on Polly Shortts as he was, according to the commentator (this time spotted by writer and my Coronation Double Century teammate David Moseley), “literally miles ahead of the second-placed runner, certainly at least a kilometre ahead”. As another pointed out, that perhaps they work out the conversion from miles to kilometres at the SABC in the same way as they spend money – with little regard for basic mathematics. There was a reason so many people ran the Comrades, said Moseley – “so they can avoid the commentary”. The Comrades broadcast was running to stand still. It has not moved on much since the days when Fordyce was winning it. The graphics were bitty and sometimes unreadable, and the quality of the picture, as many on Twitter suggested, looked like it was being shot with a cellphone camera. The commentary – the astute insights, calm knowledge and quirky anecdotes from Fordyce aside – was stodgy, clichéd and full of more guesswork than JZ telling the world that he would sort out the South African economy. He could no more halt the sliding of the rand than he can his glasses ramping down his nose.

Fordyce was the redeeming feature of the broadcast of the Comrades, a diamond amongst the gravel. He gently corrected his co-commentators when he had to, which was often. The route is imprinted into his DNA. “They’ll turn here…the hill here is deceptively steep…it is very possible to run negative splits in this section…this place is famous for the smell of the chicken farms…here is Arthur’s Seat and those runners who know the race will say, ‘good morning, Arthur’ as they go past…the moment (Moshiywa) breaks the tape at the finish will live with him forever. You never forget it.”

Fordyce has tasted the glory and the disappointment of the Comrades. I remember seeing him after one race last decade. He looked like death warmed up. He had, he admitted, had a few too many nights out than he really should have in the week building up to the race: “You don’t mess around with the Comrades. It bites you.” As the 2013 Comrades organisers prepared to fire the pistol to announce the silver medal cut-off, Fordyce had a quiet chuckle. He’d missed out on a silver medal by 21 seconds or so a few years ago. “I know what the smell of gunsmoke was like, because I was on the wrong side of that gun. It was still very special to be among those people.” The gun went off and the camera focussed on the man who had failed to make the time: “The next guy was me a few years ago. I was basically unconscious in the medical tent two years ago. I analysed it and came to the conclusion that it was old age.”

The SABC is staffed by eager and talented freelancers, many of whom are superb, but then there are others who shouldn’t be allowed to make the announcements in supermarkets. Aisle number three will never get cleaned if the person who said “Uh, that’s a Russian. Yes another Russian lady. No. That’s the Scottish lady. Uh, no that’s a Russian” is on the PA down at the local Spar.

Redi Thlabi, Talk Radio 702 host and Comrades finisher, was befuddled as she watched: “Why Zulu commentators insist on speaking English when they battle with language AND there r 2 English speaking commentators #Comrades2013” “Also mind boggling: both interviewer& runner battle with English yet interview done in English. SABC #Comrades2013 coverage IS multi lingual”

Ryk Neethling, Olympic gold medallist and chief assistant groom at the Val de Vie polo stables, was equally astounded: “First time I’ve watched the Comrades in a long time but seems like it has lost a lot of its lustre? Roads empty and TV coverage terrible.”

In yesterday’s City Press it was reported “DStv’s grip on sports under scrutiny”. Communications minister Dina Pule, she of the self-serving press conference and kinda boyfriend, said she was going to address “competition” with regards to “premium content”. Porn purveyors TopTV have apparently laid a complaint, as has a member of the public. There are Sports of National Interest regulations, which prohibit exclusive broadcast of certain events, but these were “poorly worded” according to e.tv, who broadcast live cycling and taped wrestling.

One wonders what the SABC would do with more sport. They certainly don’t seem to want it, save, perhaps, for the prize of Springbok Tests. They were offered South African international cricket for peanuts, but turned it down. Cricket South Africa even offered to source advertising for them. They said no thanks. Bafana and PSL matches are often “delayed live” to accommodate soap operas. In March, the SABC signed a one-year broadcast rights agreement with ASA. It gives them rights to “radio, television and digital coverage of domestic marathons and track and field events” this year. This includes the Comrades and Two Oceans marathons, despite those races being organised by separate organisations and not ASA. Neither of South Africa’s two biggest races were asked for their opinion in the negotiations.

“We are excited about this partnership. We understand the role that athletics has played in this country and the massive numbers we draw when we provide compelling coverage of events such as the Comrades Marathon,” said SABC group chief executive Lulama Mokhobo. “Sport is an important part of our nation's fabric, and this agreement allows us as the SABC to continue to support sport and sports fans.”

The sports fans, Mr Mokhobo, found your coverage of the Comrades compelling all right. It was compelling in the same way as people stare at a dog with two legs. It was a freak show. The Comrades deserves better. It deserves a team of Fordyces. – The Star

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