The High Performance Centre (HPC) in Pretoria has signed a deal to back 12 Olympians and six up-and-coming youngsters in a bid to prove that science can make a real difference to performance.

 

Toby Sutcliffe, the chief executive of the HPC, said: “This country has never focused on long-term athlete development.

 

“There has been no co-ordinated approach.

 

"I will challenge any federation to show they’ve done eight-to-10-year planning."

 

It is another boost for South African sport after it was announced last month that a R400 million (£27.5 million) Lottery grant has been awarded to help preparations for London 2012.

 

Schoeman is the highest profile athlete to be sponsored by the HPC, which was set up in 2002 and is based at the University of Pretoria, and is the first facility of its kind in southern Africa.

 

Schoeman won three medals at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, including a gold in the 4x100 metres relay - the only title that South Africa have won in the last three Games.

 

At Beijing last year the team performed poorly and won only one medal, a silver in the long jump thanks to Khotso Mokoena.

 

Schoeman said: “I need a lot of video analysis, blood analysis, access to a sports psychologist.

 

"In the past I had to pay out of my ear to get assistance."

 

Among the innovations is a new virtual web coaching system that has been developed by the HPC that will allow any athlete who is competing abroad, or away from from the campus (pictured), to access all the scientific support they have at their disposal at the HPC.

 

The athlete logs onto the website and provides a logbook entry which the scientific and medical staff at the HPC have immediate access to and can then provide immediate support and advice.

 

The HPC’s sponsorship, which includes unlimited access to all their services, is valued around R40,000 (£2,867) a year for each athlete, although it could be more should anyone require specialised treatment, for example, for an injury.

 

Gideon Sam, the new president of the South Africa Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), has warned that standards must improve in the country in the build-up to London 2012 and that if he fails he will take down other administrators with him.

 

It is a call that Schoeman has backed.

 

He said: “Get the athletes involved.

 

"Talk to us every month.

 

"Tell us what is going on, what you need and lets see where we can help.

 

"If you go down, we’ll go down with you, but you need to involve us and make us part of the whole process.

 

"I was very disillusioned after 2008, but after hearing what was said today I am recommitting myself to represent my country again in 2012.

 

“There is a renewed sense of faith on my part.

 

“If the athletes don’t perform, the administrators go out.