ASA board in hiding

Johannesburg - A group of Athletics South Africa (ASA) employees went into hiding on Friday after the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee suspended them on Thursday.

ASA president Leonard Chuene, along with the entire board and other ASA employees, were temporarily cut from the federation for their handling of the Caster Semenya gender fiasco.

But the central figures in the Semenya debacle refused to comment on Friday after it was reported they would meet later in the day to discuss the situation.

ASA general manager Molatelo Malehopo, who ordered gender tests on world 800m champion Semenya, said he did not want to "get into trouble or be implicated in anything" and refused to comment.

He did, however, refer questions to Chris Britz, the spokesperson of the federation from which he had been suspended.

"You must speak to Chris because if you speak to someone you must speak to the right person," he said.

Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholetsane, a team manager at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in August who allowed Semenya to run despite team doctor Harold Adams advising the athlete be withdrawn, also directed queries to Britz.

It was revealed on Thursday that Tsholetsane is under internal ASA investigation because a mobile marketing company she apparently owns received a R600 000 ASA contract.

"I don't know," she said when asked if a meeting was scheduled between the suspended figures.

"I'm not allowed to comment on ASA issues. I think Chris Britz is the right person to speak to. Yes, actually, you must speak to Chris Britz."

And ASA president Leonard Chuene, who has admitted he also lied about the tests conducted on Semenya, managed to squeeze out a sentence before hanging up the phone.

"I've got no comment on that or any other issue," Chuene said abruptly before the line cut.

ASA vice-president Kakata Maponyane, also a team manager in Berlin who ignored Adams' advice, was unavailable for comment at all.