MONDAY, 2.00PM:
THE National Sports Council has criticised the new draft Sports Bill, saying it will detract from the current autonomy of sporting bodies in South Africa.
The draft Bill, if passed, will give the Department of Sport effective control over all sport, and proposes to establish 30 statutory national and provincial bodies to monitor sport finances and agreements.
NSC president Mluleki George said on Sunday: “We do need a sport Bill in South Africa, but the Bill in its current form we reject completely because it intends to do what is no good for the country where the government tries to control all sectors of civil society.” He added that it “doesn’t make sense” to have a government “which is going to tell sports people how to run their affairs”.
SPORT BRIEFS
NAMIBIA WINS
THE Namibian soccer team, the “Brave Warriors” have won their first game on foreign soil since independence, with a 2-1 victory over Liberia in Monrovia. The Namibians came from behind, after the Liberians went ahead with an early 7th-minute goal. This was also the first game the Namibians have won in the World Cup run-up tournament.
BRITS WINS IN DORTMUND SOUTH AFRICAN champion pole vaulter Okkert Brits won the vault event at the international athletics meeting in Dortmund on Sunday, with a jump of 5,75m.
CHAMPS KEEP TITLES SOUTH AFRICAN junior welterweight champ Lawrence Ngobeni successfully retained his title after a fourth-round knockout win over challenger Thomazile Fumbeza at the Marula Sun on Sunday. In the preliminary fights Innocent Ndlove beat Patrick Malinga to retain the Transvaal junior welterweight title, and Isaac Mahlangu knocked out Kleinbooi Mokoena in the second round, to claim the Transvaal junior heavyweight title.
GIBBS BANNED BRITISH LIONS centre Scott Gibbs was given a one match suspension on Sunday, for punching Northern Transvaal player Grant Esterhuizen during the match between the Lions and Northern Tranvaal on Saturday. Gibbs was cited by Northern Transvaal, faced a disciplinary committee on Sunday, pleaded not guilty, but was charged and suspended.
FERREIRA OUT TO INJURY SOUTH AFRICAN tennis player Wayne Ferreira’s ankle injury is worse than it appeared. Ferreira left the French Open after the injury, which he sustained during a practice session, and now he has pulled out of the ATP tour event at the Queen’s Club in London. This may mean Ferreira is a non-starter for Wimbledon, which begins later this season.
MARATHON MAN JOHANNES MATBITLE won the Standard Bank 10km road race in Randburg yesterday, in a time of 0:29:55. SA marathon silver medallist Andres Khulu and junior runner Richard Mavuso both crossed the line one second behind Matbitle. Rene Kalmer won the women’s event with a time of 0:34:57.