Why Orlando Pirates striker Lepasa grateful for Olympic Games postponement

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The former TS Galaxy player is looking forward to playing in the global tourmanent after being handed a national team call-up

Orlando Pirates striker Lepasa says he was pleased to see the 2020 Olympic Games postponed to next year.

The global tournament was scheduled to be staged in Tokyo, Japan from 24 July to 9 August 2020, but it was postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lepasa is part of the South Africa under-23 team which is set to face their Saudi Arabian counterparts as part of the team's preparations for the Olympic Games.

“One can also say that he is also truly grateful of the fact that the Olympics Games were postponed for next year,” Lepasa said on the South African Football Association (Safa)'s official website “This has granted players such as myself with the opportunity to raise their hands and say that they want to be part of the final Olympic squad that is to represent South Africa in this major world sporting event.

“For me, it is not about just going to the Olympics for the sake of just being there. It is about performing and giving your best for your country at all times.

"And that’s because, when you do that, against the best of the best in the world, the world notices you. The right people take full notice of you, too. That is how you open bigger doors for yourself.”

Lepasa was not part of the South Africa side which finished third at the 2019 Caf Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt and qualified for the Olympic Games.

The 23-year-old marksman believes that the country has the right amount of talent to do well at the Olympic Games which is scheduled to take place from 23 July to 8 August, 2021 in Tokyo.

“This is not for the first time that a South African football national team will be competing in the Olympic Games,” he added.

“Some people in the county might have forgotten the names of the precious players that have been to the Olympics. This generation of players wants to be remembered for our participation there.

"And the only way we can achieve that is to support coach David Notoane’s vision of going there to compete for a medal. Doing that, I believe, will motivate the next generation to shine and try to do better than we did. We want to be remembered.”

Coach David Notoane's side will face Saudi Arabia at King Abdulaziz Sport City Stadium in Jeddah on Friday.

The two teams will then clash again at the very same venue on November 17.

2020-11-13 23:00:07

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