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Spiteful Sascoc

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Sport24 columnist Graeme Joffe (File)
Sport24 columnist Graeme Joffe (File)
How predictable.

Sascoc get put in their place by the IAAF with regards the ASA dispute and what happens?

Sascoc suspends ASA from its membership and then try to get a rebellion within ASA by cancelling OPEX contracts and not allowing our athletes to participate in the World Student games.

Disgraceful, sick and spiteful.

Just another lie from Sascoc, who said our athletes would not be prejudiced by the ASA dispute but it all changes when they don’t get their own way.

Gideon Sam and Tubby Reddy, you should hang your heads in shame with all the other skeletons in your closet.

The Summer University Games is the second largest multisport event after the Olympic Games and is the perfect platform for our next generation of athletes to get a taste of international competition ahead of Rio 2016.

Sascoc is not only endangering the future of OPEX athletes but also the next generation, the likes of Anaso Jobodwana, Akani Simbine (both gold medallists at last World Student Games), Stephen Mokoka, Robert Oosthuizen, Elroy Gelant, Zarck Visser, Andre Olivier and Jaco Engelbrecht, just to name a few.

When I tweeted the news about Sascoc’s World Student games decision, Jobodwana, who was a revelation at the London Olympics replied. 

"@Anaso_J: @Joffersmyboy that's a joke right ?"

I wish it was a joke but the joke is really Sascoc.

At yet another hastily arranged press conference this week (which I am no longer invited to), Sam said: “We have a crisis with the athletes in this team and if we have to sleep in this building (Olympic House) to resolve this issue, then we will do that, but as it stands, we do not support this athletics team.”

What crisis Mr Sam? 

Telling the truth is not one of your strong points.

Sascoc are now trying to act like the martyr but it’s very hard to “sleep in the Olympic House” when the president and CEO are hardly ever there.

In June alone, Reddy was in New York, Moscow and Lausanne (business class of course). Would be interested to see what his work schedule was for New York and Moscow.

History is just repeating itself.

Sascoc suspended ASA in 2009 as well and the then treasurer of ASA, Simon Dlamini wrote an open letter to Gideon Sam.

And I quote: “I congratulate you for the abuse of power that you have enjoyed during this term of office, even though I am at pains that your convenience led to the collapse of athletics administration, the federation that has worked tirelessly to bring medals in this country. Your personal vendetta against Leonard Chuene has resulted to the serious loss of athletic opportunities for the country at large.

May I remind you that at our last talks between ASA and SASCOC, we had agreed to forge a relationship between the two organisations and you know that Chuene had, for the sake of peace, to delegate me to lead the talks between ASA and SASCOC. Those talks were to be on ongoing basis so as to close the gap created by personality differences and to allow a focus on matters of principle towards transformation, unity and development of sports in this country. 

You have suspended us for no reason, on the other hand you execute ill-conceived intentions against the federation:

1. You appointed an administrator into our office for no justifiable reason,
2. You sanctioned the election of an interim board, which does not concur with the ASA and IAAF Constitutions,
3. You co-opted Dr. Harold Adams to your Lottery subcommittee, without holding him responsible for having conducted gender verification tests to our golden girl.  In fact, you never held him accountable yet you know he is the one who should account more, but you followed your vendetta and picked on Chuene because you wanted him out of ASA. 

Stop the vendetta, stop funny tricks, stop the abuse of power, talk to us. Organise a meeting between suspended ASA board members, the Minister and yourself. There lies the solution that will last forever and therein, lies the peace of mind whose outcome would be the flow of medals in sports. Let us drop the pride and allow talking to pave the way for progress and prosperity only to those who know that the cause of sports is bigger than any individual.”

End quote

In 2011, Chuene, ASA vice-president Kakata Maponyane and Dlamini were all banned by SASCOC for terms ranging between three and seven years, for maladministration.

So, it’s just déjà vu in 2013. 

Sascoc, acting with a vendetta, this time to get rid of James Evans and whatever it takes.

And who suffers?

Our innocent athletes.

Where is ASA now after two Sascoc administrators in Ray Mali and Zola Majavu?

Worse off than before.

“This is South Africa. We will not let the international world tell us what to do." John Vorster or Gideon Sam?

Scary for SA sport!

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 869 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. 
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