Roland Schoeman blasts Swimming SA after Tatjana Smith’s shock Netherlands switch

Former South African Olympic swimming star Roland Schoeman has launched a scathing attack on Swimming South Africa (SSA) following Tatjana Smith’s decision to switch her international allegiance to the Netherlands.

Smith’s announcement on Tuesday sent shockwaves through South African swimming, with the country’s most decorated Olympian confirming that she intends to represent the Netherlands at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Did not hold back

Schoeman, an Olympic gold, silver and bronze medallist himself, did not hold back in his criticism of the federation, questioning its treatment of athletes and the financial demands reportedly placed on swimmers representing South Africa.

Taking to X, Schoeman sarcastically congratulated Swimming SA on losing another world-class athlete.

“Well done, @SwimSouthAfrica. Another world-class swimmer choosing to leave South Africa to pursue the career she deserves,” he wrote.

He then highlighted the reported R55 000 contribution athletes are being asked to pay to represent South Africa at the upcoming short-course world championships in Beijing, China.

The competition takes place from 1 to 6 December 2026.

“And you’ve got athletes being asked to pay R55,000 just to represent their country. What an absolute disgrace,” Schoeman added.

He ended his post by questioning how many more athletes South Africa would lose before the federation and its board were held accountable.

Well done, @SwimSouthAfrica. Another world-class swimmer choosing to leave South Africa to pursue the career she deserves. And you’ve got athletes being asked to pay R55,000 just to represent their country. What an absolute disgrace. How many more athletes must we lose before… https://t.co/MTALecS4NN

— Roland Schoeman (@Rolandschoeman) November 10, 2026

Tatjana Smith’s Netherlands switch

Tatjana Smith, 29, who won four Olympic medals for South Africa, confirmed that she holds both South African and Dutch citizenship and plans to compete under the Netherlands flag at the 2028 Olympics.

Smith won gold in the 200m breaststroke and silver in the 100m breaststroke at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

She repeated her success in Paris in 2024, winning gold in the 100m breaststroke and silver in the 200m event.

Her four Olympic medals made her South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, alongside swimmer Chad le Clos, who also has four medals (one gold and three silvers).

Smith recently reversed her retirement decision and returned to competition at the South African Short-Course Championships in Pietermaritzburg in September.

‘Childhood dream’

“Representing South Africa at the Olympic Games was my biggest childhood dream. To have lived that dream and won four Olympic medals is something I will always treasure,” she said in an emotional social media video.

“Both South Africa and the Netherlands have always been part of who I am. I am deeply grateful to the South African swimming community, all my coaches and to every South African who cheered me on. That gratitude will never change.”

Tatjana Smith said the decision to represent the Netherlands gives her the “opportunity to explore another part of my identity and the heritage that I have never experienced through sport.

“When I decided to return to swimming, it wasn’t because I had something left to prove. It was because I had fallen in love with the sport again. I wanted to compete, push my limit and discover what more I was capable of, and for the next chapter my dream looks different,” said Smith.

Based in South Africa

Despite the change in sporting allegiance, Smith will remain based in South Africa and continue training with her existing team.

She said both countries had always been part of her identity and expressed gratitude to the South African swimming community for its support throughout her career.