MONDAY, 11.00AM:
THE National Olympic Committee of South Africa (Nocsa) wants to submit urgent representations to Sports minister Steve Tshwete on the draft Sport and Recreation Bill, despite it being after the official deadline.
Tshwete granted an extension to the deadline, and a Nocsa delegation will meet sports officials this weekend to discuss the bill.
Nocsa president Sam Ramsamy also announced two programmes to be launched this week: Operation Excellence, a programme to identify and develop potential Olympic athletes, and the Sport against Crime programme, in conjunction with SABC’s sports show Mabaleng and car company Daimler Benz.
SPORT BRIEFS
CATT TO SAVE THE BIG CATS SA-BORN Mike Catt, currently touring with the British side in Argentina, is to take flyhalf Paul Grayson’s place in the British Lions side touring South Africa. Grayson, who has been suffering from a thigh muscle injury for 10 weeks, has not recovered in time to play in the South African tour. Catt will leave the Argentinean tour, and is expected to arrive in South Africa on Wednesday.
ACKERMANN APPEALS BAN RUGBY lock Johan Ackermann attended a hearing on Saturday to appeal against his two-year drug ban. Ackermann pleaded that the original specimen process of the drug test which led to the ban, was not legal.
BUNGU FOR SUN CITY IBF junior featherweight champion Vuyani Bungu is scheduled to fight against an unnamed opponent at the Carousel on August 16, in preparation for the unification bout against WBO champion Junior Jones later this year.
CASH FOR MEDALLISTS THE National Olympic Committee of South Africa will give cash grants to potential South African medallists in the Sydney Olympics, through constant monitoring of their athletic progress each year up to the year 2000. The grants range from R2 500 to R1 000, and will be presented as part of Nocsa’s Operation Excellence programme.