LAST week the Mail & Guardian published details of a contract which Athletics South Africa (ASA) attempted to persuade the Olympic 800m silver medallist, Hezekiel Sepeng, to sign. It would perhaps have been naive to expect heads to roll as a result of the disclosures we made. The government’s handling of Sarafina II has not set much of an example by way of personal responsibility where the misdeeds of officialdom is concerned. Nevertheless, steps to deal with the athletics scandal are overdue.
As is now well known, ASA sought to tie Sepeng to an undertaking that he would not attempt to break the South African 800m record except at meetings staged by a favoured sponsor. ASA tried to argue that the contract was not a contract, but a “discussion document”. It offered as the “proof” the fact that the document was not signed. This week the M&G provides further evidence which shows, incontrovertibly, that ASA drew up a contract with the intention of rigging races.
It is difficult to imagine a more serious charge which could be brought against a national sports federation. But in fact the scandal is even more serious than what might otherwise have been treated as a single misjudgment by ASA. For some time now those involved in athletics have spoken of a “climate of fear” surrounding the administration of the sport. The term “mafia” is to be heard in describing some of those in authority. Rumours have been circulating about financial transactions. Strong-arm tactics – verbal, if not physical – are alleged to have been used against athletes and their coaches.
This miasma of discontent has now been given startling substance by the extraordinary behaviour of ASA’s chief executive officer, Bernard Rose, in trying to cover up the Sepeng rigging controversy.
South African sport is at a critical juncture. In pursuit of the non-racial ideal, we are in desperate need of black role models to give a lead to disadvantaged youth on the sports fields. Athletics has already thrown up two such heroes, in Hezekiel Sepeng and the Olympic marathon champion, Josia Thugwane. The antics of ASA are nothing less than a betrayal of their achievements and of the aspirations of sportsmen and women throughout the country.