South African and Swiss runners receive Fair Play Award

This makes its beauty: sport is a source of epic rivalries but also of respect, support, friendship and fair play.

In the presence of FISU Acting President Leonz Eder and Secretary General/CEO Éric Saintrond, Charne Elieen Swart (RSA) and Veronica Vancardo (SUI) received today the Fair Play Award of the Chengdu FISU Games for their support to Soudi-Thasmy Moussa (COM) at the end of the Athletics Women’s 800 meters race.

The Comorian athlete ended exhausted and collapsed towards the finish line, despite the loud cheering of the crowd. The South African and Swiss runners immediately provided her assistance when they realized Moussa was lying powerless on the ground. The live images of the scene went viral and this exemplary act was brought to the world’s attention.

Charne Eileen Swart, who earned the bronze medal in the race and is studying medicine at the University of Pretoria, stressed her intervention was much more than an instinctive reaction.  

“Above all it was about understanding and respect,” she said. “Obviously she comes from a small country and it must be extremely intimidating to compete in front of such a large crowd, it takes a lot of you to run in a big event like that and she probably was not used to it, it means a lot for her.”

“Fair Play includes values such as persistence, team spirit and care, among many others, and these three athletes showed they are role models,” said Gabor Deregan, Executive Director of the International Fair Play Committee.

“We are grateful to FISU for the long-term cooperation and for the promotion of Fair Play to university athletes,” he added.