South African chess teams recognised for Madiba shirts and green-and-gold uniforms

South Africa made a mark at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, winning two awards for the national teams’ uniforms at the international competition.

The South African women’s team won the Sport Women award for their green and gold outfits, while the open team received the Original Open award for their chessboard-pattern Madiba shirts by Cape Town clothing company Presidential.

South Africa was the only country to win two of the uniform awards, which were presented at the closing ceremony on September 27.

The awards were presented by FIDE, the International Chess Federation, across three categories: Classical, Sport and Original, for both the open and women’s sections. Teams from around 200 countries took part in the Olympiad.

South Africa’s chess teams win FIDE Olympiad uniform honours

The women’s team wore the official sporting colours of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), with green and gold representing the country’s sporting identity.

Meanwhile, the open team’s outfits celebrated a distinctive part of South African heritage. Their Madiba shirts were made by Presidential, whose founder, Desré Buirski, designed the first shirt for Nelson Mandela in 1994. The company subsequently supplied many of the shirts Mandela wore during his presidency.

The team also paid tribute to their hosts during the tournament. On September 23, the players paired their Madiba shirts with traditional Uzbek doʻppi skullcaps, featuring white motifs on a black background.

South Africa’s chess team for the FIDE Olympiad

Source: https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-10-06-madiba-shirts-and-green-gold-kit-win-awards-for-south-africa-at-chess-olympiad/