Share

Athletics SA set for R6.2m boost

Johannesburg - Athletics South Africa (ASA) could soon receive some financial relief once a $500 000 (R6,2m) deal with a Kuwaiti benefactor has been concluded, SASCOC president Gideon Sam said here on Wednesday.

“The federation must be willing to come forward and say this is what we are putting in place and I can see Aleck Skhosana (ASA president) with his team are concentrating on that,” Sam said.

“We are always assisting, on my visit to Kuwait I told a Sheikh there, 'we have a poor guy in athletics' and he said 'let’s put in $500 000'.”

Reeling from legacy issues and the R10.4m ASA was ordered to pay pole vaulter Jan Blignaut by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria added to the beleaguered federation’s debt.

However, Sam gave ASA a rosier outlook with the sport getting its house in order on and off the track.

“Lotto has given them some money and their finances are coming alright and that is why they can select such a big team for Beijing (IAAF World Championships),” Sam said.

“I was surprised and called Aleck Skhosana and asked him if he was sure and he said they all qualified according to the standards.”

Skhosana confirmed on Wednesday that SASCOC had initiated discussions for a donor to partner with ASA ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

“We met with Gideon and the relevant people there to discuss among other things support for South African athletes,” Skhosana said.

“The purpose for that kind of money is to ensure our athletes benefit from it by getting to the best competitions in the world without any difficulty in their preparations for the Olympic Games.”

Skhosana said when he approached SASCOC earlier this year he was starting from a weak negotiating position.

The stabilisation of the federation, and ultimately the good performances of athletes on the global stage has made ASA a more appealing investment partner.

“South African athletics came from the doldrums and there were no performances or television coverage but now it is easy to talk to people,” Skhosana said.

“The media is now writing about positive things, about records being broken and athletes performing all over.

“Sponsors buy into performances, entertainment and structured organisations that is at peace with itself and I think it is the right time to talk about that.”

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!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2247 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