Share

SASCOC toy with IOC ban

accreditation
Sport24 columnist Graeme Joffe (File)
Sport24 columnist Graeme Joffe (File)
Ten columns later and still no honest reply from SASCOC, but an insider at the “gravy house” in Melrose, Johannesburg told me, SASCOC says there is no need to reply because I’m a nobody.

I’m hurt! (where’s that smiley face icon again)...

But I got up again and have been following the India Olympic story with regards the electing of tainted officials and their possible suspension from the IOC.

Why?

It strikes a chord with SASCOC. 

Suspension from IOC membership means a country does not receive IOC funding and its officials would be banned from attending Olympic meetings and events (that would really “hurt” SASCOC CEO, Tubby “Erke” Reddy who attends “Olympic” meetings and events every month with others in tow).
  
According to the IOC, the NOCs receive financial support for the training and development of Olympic teams, Olympic athletes and Olympic hopefuls. The IOC distributes TOP programme revenue to each of the NOCs throughout the world.

So, don’t let SASCOC bluff anyone about how poor they are.

If you take the government spend, lotto funding, IOC support and corporate sponsorship, there should never be a shortfall to assist SA athletes in their quest for Olympic success.
  
Moreover, the recent SASCOC election is still a big bone of contention and it becomes more and more evident that it was not free and fair.

Hereunder, the contents of an email sent from the SASCOC office to some of the smaller sporting federations with a “recommendation” for voting.

The email went out on November 20, four days before the SASCOC election.  

Email: Please find below Gideon Sam’s list as discussed with Mubarak.

Vice-presidents: Hajera Kajee, Les Williams
Board Members: Mark Alexander, Kobus Marais, Mubarak Mahomed, Keikabile Motlatsi, Themba Hlasho

End email

And voila - what a co-incidence!

The vote went exactly as per the SASCOC email.

As a sporting public, how can we allow this to continue and if the IOC gets wind of these irregularities, SA sport will be on the canvas and the only ones who will suffer are the incredible athletes we have in this country!

I referred to some of the tragic appointments in my last column and can now add more substance to how SASCOC elects its allies.

Keikabile Motlatsi is a long-standing member of the Lotto Distribution Committee. She was on the Board of Athletics South Africa (ASA) at the time of Leonard Chuene’s financial irregularities but lost her position due to the alleged disappearance of Lotto money in her province (North West North). She then became vice-president of ASA and lost this position in the last ASA election. Only now to be nominated onto the SASCOC board as an “athletics” nomination, not nominated by ASA. Anyone care to explain?
   
SASCOC has become so sick and the leadership a deeply grained cancer that cannot be treated because they have aligned themselves with the “somebody’s” in media and government and not the “nobody’s”.

But this “nobody” will not stop until these gravy train administrators are shown the exit door and a full forensic audit is carried out on SASCOC.

It is scary to see the state of many of the sporting federations and the money which is unaccounted for and this happens when you have a weak umbrella body, like SASCOC.

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m not doing this for any other reason than for the betterment of sport in South Africa and for our long suffering athletes.

I urge everyone to take a stand and especially those media organizations who have a very cosy relationship with SASCOC to forget about their back pockets and start asking the hard questions! 

How often we hear the big media organisations talk about integrity and taking the moral high ground - well, maybe it’s time to practice what you preach.

You know who you are!  

Email Graeme at: graeme@butterbean.co.za

Catch Graeme Joffe on SportsFire every Monday and Thursday at 17:30 on Radio Today, 1485am in JHB, National on DStv audio channel 169 and streaming worldwide on www.1485.org.za. Follow Graeme Joffe on Twitter: @joffersmyboy

Disclaimer:
Sport24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on Sport24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sport24.
   
 
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1157 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1342 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2042 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE