Semenya: SASCOC act
South Africa’s Olympic governing body, SASCOC, has suspended Athletics SA president Leonard Chuene, the Board of ASA and its members “with immediate effect pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation and further action” over their handling of the Caster Semenya saga.
Furthermore, SASCOC is considering “taking appropriate action against the IAAF for its disregard of Semenya’s rights to privacy,” following speculation over her gender. Semenya won the women’s 800 metre title at the World Championships in Berlin in August, but reports have said that she underwent a gender test and Chuene later admitted to lying about the results.
At a Special Board meeting of SASCOC called for the purpose of considering the report of the SASCOC Legal and Arbitration Commission into the handling of Semenya, the Board resolved unanimously as follows:
To accept the recommendations made by the SASCOC Legal and Arbitration Commission as listed below.
1. Mr Leonard Chuene should be suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation and further action.
2. Mr Kakata Maponyane, Mr Molatelo Malehopo and Ms Phiwe Mlangeni should be suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation and further action.
3. The Board of ASA and its Members should be suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation and further action.
4. Ms Humile Bogatsu should be suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation and further action.
5. SASCOC should consider taking appropriate action against IAAF for its disregard of Ms Semenya’s rights to privacy.
SASCOC should ensure that the suspension in respect of Mr Malehopo; Ms Mlangeni and Ms Bogatsu conform to current Labour Law Practices and that any contemplated suspension is with full pay and appropriate benefits due to their status as employees of ASA.
It is being further recommended that:
A decision is taken to appoint SASCOC Board Member Mr Ray Mali as the administrator of Athletics South Africa.
That the Administrator Mr Ray Mali will convene an urgent meeting of the Council of ASA (excluding the suspended individuals) and elect an Interim Board of ASA pending the outcome of the disciplinary enquiry.
That the suspended individuals will appear before a disciplinary enquiry to answer charges of bringing ASA, the sport of athletics, SASCOC and sport in general into disrepute.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Dear SASCOC,
On behalf of South African Sports Loving people, I am gratefull that you have taken the right steps. However, you have not mentioned a name like Mr Hendrick Mokganyetsi. I know that I don’ t have their mandate, but chooses to represent them.
This is the best news ever for athletics.
Thank you for listening to us.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU………………………………….
Regards
November 5th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
this is fantastic news! well done and thank you. the sports people of South Africa must get behind SASCOC and support them if ASA refuse to take their expensive cars and ride off into the distance. and SASCOC must take action against the IAAF as well. they were just as guilty of bungling things. Dankie!! Dankie!!
November 5th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
President
I welcome the resolution taken by SASCOC as SA we will wait until you give us the final decision as to what will happen next and i think now its the time that you also assure the athletes that everything will operate as normal and they should not be worried about other things….
Kind Regards
November 5th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I hope that Chuene and his acolytic board will not have the privilege (undeserved) of a long suspension on full pay. Rather I hope they are given NO salary until the determination then everybody will move to have it completed.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
This is a bit confusing, last year SASCOC did something of same sorts with Chuene, and their lawyers said the SASCOC constitution was problematic in terms of jurisdiction and disciplinary processes. So has that been fixed now?
November 5th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Ask Tokyo Sexwale to intervene. He will suspend the guys and ladies without pay as he said about the culprits in the housing scandal. Leonard should not get a salary as he is not an Executive President. Writer made a mistake, it is not Mr Humile.
As they say: “every dog has its day” But I must say, I actually feel sorry for Leonard. What he is now going through. Shame bra Leonard. But hey, this is how you played the game, or shall I say, the men?
November 5th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Congratulations on taking a step that must have been done long ago.
Athletics is a way of life “IT’S MY LIFE”
It will be interresting to see the “who’s who” on the way forward
November 5th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I assume Hendrik Mokganyetsi will also be suspended from SASCOC’s athletes commission…
November 6th, 2009 at 8:16 am
Thanks SASCOC, you shall continue with the good work….
November 6th, 2009 at 9:16 am
That racist Mokganyetsi will in effect also go. He is a full board member and will be suspended with the rest of the board. I sure as hell hope Harold Adams gets suspended, as I don’t see his name mentioned anywhere. He caused most of the trouble around Semenya.
The people who will be suspended:
Leonard Chuene
Dr Simon Dlamini
STIX STIGLINGH
ATTLEE MAPONYANE
LARAINE LANE
MOTLATSI KEIKABILE
THOMAS MANOKO
Dr HAROLD ADAMS
SNOWY MATTHEWS
HENDRICK MOKGANYETSI
I hope the suspensions are lifelong from any involvement in athletics, at any level.
November 6th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Reading at the comments above, I am of the opinion that the people who commented are immune to the feud that has been going on between SASCOC and ASA for the past few years now. I would like to know if SASCOC acted fairly and without past grudges having played a role in their decision. I do not condone what ASA board did, but these issues should too be considered as they might have also played a role.
November 6th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
A step in the right direction!
Please get rid of all racists (white or black) in our sports. Sports do no not need any politics! We sports people are happy with each other and it is the only place in SA where colour does not matter (or should not matter)!!
November 6th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
The feud was on ASA mismanagement. The grudges came from the ASA board that has been under constant investigation/scrutiny since 1994. The list of things they did that points to poor corporate governance is mind-boggling, financial mismanagement, poor results, racism etc etc. SASCOC has the mandate to intervene if needs be. I believe the correct action has been taken. I just hope the suspension is immediate and life long.
November 19th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
[...] same day, South Africa’s Olympic governing body posted a statement on its Web site saying that it had “suspended Athletics SA president Leonard Chuene, the [...]