Swim bouncers for cricket boss

Adnaan Mohamed

Cape Town - Controversial cricket boss Norman Arendse must help to sort out South Africa'sswimming problems.

Swimming South Africa (SSA) has asked the chairperson of Cricket South Africa, an advocate by profession, to investigate whatwent wrong at this year's Beijing Olympic Games.

Members of the Olympic swimming team have brought certain allegationsagainst national swimming coach Dirk Lange and SSA's performance managerRushdee Warley.

There were fireworks in South African cricket earlier this year when it wasclaimed that Arendse had interfered with the team selection.

The greatest controversy revolved around the omission of all-rounder Jacques Kallis from the Proteas squad for last year'sTwenty20 World cup tournament, where Arendse apparently decided to vetoKallis's original selection.

"We have decided to appoint an independent person to investigate allthe allegations and accusations by the swimmers against certain members of theteam management," SSA CEO Shaun Adriaanse told Die Burger on Monday.

"At the end of the process we want to know exactly what the truth is sothat we can make the right decisions.

"The process should be completed by the end of September,"Adriaanse explained.

Respected former national swimmer

South African swimmers could not bag even a single medal at this year'sgames.

There have been various rumours that swimmers were unhappy about Lange andWarley's coaching and management style at the Games. Experienced swimmers like Ryk Neethling and Roland Schoeman, who are based in America,apparently also do not see eye to eye with Lange and Warley.

Swimmers were also upset about money they were promised before the Games,but which they never received.

SSA president Jayce Naidoo said the controlling body has come to anagreement with the swimmers that a respected former national swimmer will lookafter the interests of swimmers in the future.

"It will be an experienced person who is trusted and respected by theswimmers.

"It is important that the swimmers themselves should decide who theperson will be. There are a few candidates, like Penny Heyns and Marianne Kriel. However, we have decided that no one whoparticipated in this year's Games will be considered for the role," saidNaidoo.

This means that one of South Africa's most experienced swimmers, RykNeethling, will not be eligible.