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Sport24 columnist Graeme Joffe (File)
Dear Mr Sam
Congratulations on your imminent re-election as SASCOC president, this despite saying you would fall on your sword if Team South Africa didn’t get 12 Olympic medals in London. But as you stand unopposed in the election for another four year term, may I wish you well and offer just a little advice (a game plan perhaps) that when you leave in four years time, you’ll be remembered for the right reasons as someone who did so much for SA sport and not someone who couldn’t find the sword.
I know Minister Mbalula said “half a loaf is better than nothing” in response to our achievements in London and I guess he’s right when you take into account that SASCOC probably spends about 50% of its income/public funds on the gravy train and the athletes are lucky to see the other 50%.
So, may I suggest the following for your new four year term:
1. Let SASCOC start with a clean slate. Allow for a full forensic audit to be carried out on the organisation and some of its officials
2. Elect a CEO who is loyal to you
3. Get rid of the politicians within SASCOC
4. Do not allow SASCOC board members to be on other sporting boards (although this may present a problem for yourself)
5. Members of the Lotto distribution board should not be allowed to stand for SASCOC election
6. Make sure there’s a tender for the PR account this time and that the SASCOC spokesperson is a credible sports journalist
7. SASCOC officials and consultants should all travel economy class and it doesn’t need a team of five officials to look after one athlete eg. Winter Youth Olympics
8. No more lies
9. Treat our athletes with the respect they deserve
10. Stop suspending athletes and sporting codes without due process
11. No more draconian codes of conduct, whereby the athletes are silenced
12. Make sure all sporting codes have signed constitutions
13. Scrap the R35 million SA Sports Awards
14. Olympic tickets should be given to the athletes and not SASCOC officials, families and friends
15. Allow all Olympic athletes to go to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games in Rio
16. Olympic qualification and criteria should be consistent for all sporting codes
17. Don’t destroy dreams, don’t destroy livelihoods of SA athletes
18. Get more former athletes involved as coaches and administrators
19. Medal bonuses to be consistent
20. Don’t allow SASCOC officials to use public monies as if it were their own bank account
Above all, derail the gravy train, it is sickening and the only way to do that is to allow for a full forensic audit.
What is stopping you Mr Sam?
May I remind you of a quote from Prof AM Louw.
“South African sport cannot afford SASCOC. I would suggest that the response to government by sports federations, players’ associations, sponsors and other stakeholders should be the following: No thank you, we do not need this dictatorial creature that is being set up largely against our will, and which we will be forced to support in the furtherance of what remains a shady but painfully clear agenda. Millions of taxpayers’ rands and lottery funds can be spent to prop up this creature, but it will always have feet of clay; it will topple spectacularly before long, and we do not want to go down with it. “
Mr Sam, you have a chance to stop the fall and another four years to change people’s perceptions about SASCOC and I’m sure I speak on behalf of millions of South African sports fans - please do the right thing!
Our athletes should come first in all aspects and considerations and only then will a half dozen become a dozen.
South Africa, with all its facilities and finance is currently a massive under achiever in Olympic sport!
Yours sincerely,
Graeme Joffe
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.
Congratulations on your imminent re-election as SASCOC president, this despite saying you would fall on your sword if Team South Africa didn’t get 12 Olympic medals in London. But as you stand unopposed in the election for another four year term, may I wish you well and offer just a little advice (a game plan perhaps) that when you leave in four years time, you’ll be remembered for the right reasons as someone who did so much for SA sport and not someone who couldn’t find the sword.
I know Minister Mbalula said “half a loaf is better than nothing” in response to our achievements in London and I guess he’s right when you take into account that SASCOC probably spends about 50% of its income/public funds on the gravy train and the athletes are lucky to see the other 50%.
So, may I suggest the following for your new four year term:
1. Let SASCOC start with a clean slate. Allow for a full forensic audit to be carried out on the organisation and some of its officials
2. Elect a CEO who is loyal to you
3. Get rid of the politicians within SASCOC
4. Do not allow SASCOC board members to be on other sporting boards (although this may present a problem for yourself)
5. Members of the Lotto distribution board should not be allowed to stand for SASCOC election
6. Make sure there’s a tender for the PR account this time and that the SASCOC spokesperson is a credible sports journalist
7. SASCOC officials and consultants should all travel economy class and it doesn’t need a team of five officials to look after one athlete eg. Winter Youth Olympics
8. No more lies
9. Treat our athletes with the respect they deserve
10. Stop suspending athletes and sporting codes without due process
11. No more draconian codes of conduct, whereby the athletes are silenced
12. Make sure all sporting codes have signed constitutions
13. Scrap the R35 million SA Sports Awards
14. Olympic tickets should be given to the athletes and not SASCOC officials, families and friends
15. Allow all Olympic athletes to go to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games in Rio
16. Olympic qualification and criteria should be consistent for all sporting codes
17. Don’t destroy dreams, don’t destroy livelihoods of SA athletes
18. Get more former athletes involved as coaches and administrators
19. Medal bonuses to be consistent
20. Don’t allow SASCOC officials to use public monies as if it were their own bank account
Above all, derail the gravy train, it is sickening and the only way to do that is to allow for a full forensic audit.
What is stopping you Mr Sam?
May I remind you of a quote from Prof AM Louw.
“South African sport cannot afford SASCOC. I would suggest that the response to government by sports federations, players’ associations, sponsors and other stakeholders should be the following: No thank you, we do not need this dictatorial creature that is being set up largely against our will, and which we will be forced to support in the furtherance of what remains a shady but painfully clear agenda. Millions of taxpayers’ rands and lottery funds can be spent to prop up this creature, but it will always have feet of clay; it will topple spectacularly before long, and we do not want to go down with it. “
Mr Sam, you have a chance to stop the fall and another four years to change people’s perceptions about SASCOC and I’m sure I speak on behalf of millions of South African sports fans - please do the right thing!
Our athletes should come first in all aspects and considerations and only then will a half dozen become a dozen.
South Africa, with all its facilities and finance is currently a massive under achiever in Olympic sport!
Yours sincerely,
Graeme Joffe
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.
