By Levy Masiteng
World Aquatics has appointed a stabilisation committee to oversee the selection and registration of South Africa’s men’s and women’s national teams for the 2027 World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup Division 2.
The decision, announced this week, follows concerns over the administration of water polo in South Africa and comes after Swimming South Africa (SSA) leaders were sanctioned over allegations of unethical conduct.
The committee comprises Felipe Perrone as chairperson, alongside South Africa Water Polo (SAWP) board member Donne Commins and SAWP member Peter Blaauw, both of whom serve on the organisation’s executive.
In a letter dated 27 October, World Aquatics executive director Brent Nowicki confirmed the committee’s appointment under Article 8.9 of the World Aquatics Constitution.
The committee has agreed to engage SAWP to undertake the operational process of selecting, preparing and managing the two national teams, subject to the committee’s oversight.
“The significance of this development for the future of water polo in SA cannot be overstated,” SAWP chief executive officer Robbie Taylor said.
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The appointment came after uncertainty over South Africa’s participation in the international competitions, after SSA had failed to submit the required team entries before an earlier deadline.
According to SAWP, the organisation had been preparing independently selected and coached teams for the Nations Cup, while SSA remained responsible for entering the teams into the World Cup Division 2 competition.
However, SAWP said the latest intervention had changed the situation, creating an opportunity for athletes and coaches already identified through its Nations Cup programme to represent the country at World Cup level, subject to final confirmation and registration.
“Today, that position has changed dramatically. It means that athletes’ interests have been placed ahead of administrative issues in the sport,” Taylor said.
According to SAWP, the committee faces an immediate deadline of 29 October to confirm South Africa’s participation and submit the required team rosters and officials.
The women’s Division 2 competition is scheduled for 6-13 December 2026 in Coimbra, Portugal, while the men’s competition will take place from 18-24 January 2027 in Istanbul, Türkiye. World Aquatics had previously set 12 October as the registration deadline for both competitions.
SAWP was established in 2025 in response to governance and administrative failures under SSA.
The organisation represents about 90% of South Africa’s competitive water polo community, with major provincial leagues and competitions operating under its banner.
Although SAWP is not the officially recognised administrative body for water polo in the country, it has established provincial leagues, national competitions, athlete-development structures and high-performance programmes.
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“SAWP believes that World Aquatics’ decision to intervene represents an important acknowledgement that the existing arrangements require independent oversight and that the interests of athletes must take precedence over institutional interests. We thank them for putting the athletes first,” Taylor said.
“This development is about far more than two international tournaments. It is about restoring confidence in how South African water polo is governed and how its athletes are represented,” Taylor said.
He said athletes had faced uncertainty, inadequate preparation and a lack of credible national pathways, adding that the committee’s appointment presented an opportunity to demonstrate what could be achieved through effective administration and collaboration.
SAWP emphasised that the committee’s appointment does not transfer overall governance or control of South African water polo to the organisation.
Instead, the committee’s mandate is specifically focused on the two World Cup competitions.
