Athletics
Ex-ASA member: A hearing?
2010-03-17 20:19
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Johannesburg - A member of Athletics South Africa's (ASA) suspended board said on Wednesday he had not yet been informed by the federation that he would be facing a disciplinary hearing.
ASA administrator Ray Mali, the head of the interim board, said earlier this month that the eight suspended board members - the other half of the executive have already resigned - and three staff members had received letters from ASA's lawyers informing them that they would face disciplinary hearings.
But one of the board members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, insists he knows nothing about a hearing.
"I have not yet been informed that I must face a disiplinary hearing," the board member said.
ASA boss Leonard Chuene and his executive, along with three staff members, were suspended by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) in November last year for their handling of 800m world champion Caster Semenya, who awaits a ruling from the IAAF after gender tests were conducted on her last year, and financial mismanagement.
Earlier this month Mali said he hoped the disciplinary hearings would start this week, adding that the suspended figures or their legal representatives had all received confirmation that the hearings would take place.
He also said the process had taken longer than they had hoped because a forensic audit had been ordered after shredded documents and deleted computer files were discovered at the ASA head office in Houghton.
The anonymous board member, however, believes SASCOC and ASA are dragging their feet.
"There are supposed to be elections for a new board in May, but I don't see how they can elect a new board until this process is completed," he said.
"I haven't heard anything about a disciplinary hearing and I have no idea what process is going to be followed to solve this matter."