THURSDAY, 1.30PM:
THE Sports Ministry mooted legislation on Wednesday enabling it to intervene in sports affairs “when things go wrong”.
The Sports and Recreation Department is responsible for promoting sports and recreation, but has no statutory authority to do so. In addition, the duplication of the functions of the department and those of other sports organisations, particularly the National Sports Council, is leading to confusion, the department stated in a white paper released in Pretoria.
“In reaction to this unbearable state of affairs, the ministry is at present considering the advisability of proposing a sport and recreation Act from which it will derive its authority and/or the establishment of a statutory sports commission.”
The Democratic Party said the ministry is seemingly engrossed in a desperate attempt to justify its existence, following a recommendation that it be abolished.
SPORT BRIEFS
SMALL SIDESTEPS
JAMES SMALL on Thursday cancelled the press conference at which he was to have detailed his rugby future. The Springbok wing cancelled Friday’s conference, saying that he hopes to be in a position to make his plans public next Tuesday. Small, who has left Western Province due to problems with new WP coach Alan Solomons, is considering offers from both inside and outside South Africa. “A number of issues have arisen in the last couple of days that I need to clarify before making a final announcement about my future plans,” Small said on Thursday.
SA TO BID FOR WORLD CUP
SOUTH AFRICA will make a bid for the World Cup in 2006, the Cabinet agreed after meeting a delegation from the SA Football Association on Wednesday. The football executives argued that infrastructure created to cater for the World Cup will assist disadvantaged areas. The Cabinet also agreed to table a Bill which allows the sports minister to intervene in sports during crisis periods. The Bill has already been sharply criticised by the Democratic Party, which wants the sports ministry abolished.
RIOS TO FACE FERREIRA
MARCELLO RIOS of Chile and South Africa’s Wayne Ferreira will face each other at the French Open on Thursday after both went through to the third round with straight sets victories. Rios wiped out Emilio Alvarez of Spain 6-4 6-2 6-2, while Ferreira beat Swede Magnus Norman 6-4 6-4 6-4.
French Open
GRISHINE BIGGEST COMRADES THREAT
DEFENDING Comrades Marathon champion Charl Mattheus said he believes 1996 winner Dmitri Grishine will be the biggest threat to the top runners in this year’s race. Simon Malindi was Mattheus’s outside bet for the title.
Comrades Marathon
IRELAND NAME STRONG SIDE
IRELAND have named a strong line-up for their match against Boland at Wellington on Saturday. South African coach Nick Mallett is set to name the Springbok squad after the match and, with Boland sporting 12 Super-12 and three Springbok players, the Irish will be in for a torrid time.
Irish Squad: Conor O’Shea, James Topping, Jonathan Bell, Mark McCall, Denis Hickie, Eric Elwood, Conor McGuinness, Victor Costello, Andrew Ward, Dion O’Cuinnegan, Gabriel Fulcher, Paddy Johns (c), Peter Clohessy, Allen Clarke, Reggie Corrigan.
TVL STAY IN THE LEAD
TRANSVAAL maintained their lead in the third day of the Vodacom SA U23 teams golf tournament over the West Bank course in East London on Wednesday. They beat Natal 9-3.
ERNIE NUMBER ONE IN RANKINGS, AND IN MONEY
THE R750 000 in prize money that Ernie Els won for ending joint second in the Volvo PGA at Wentworth on Sunday has moved the world’s top golfer to the top spot on the European tour’s money list. Even though Els is only a part-time European Golfer, he has still managed to bag just on R3-million in the first half of 1998.
ASA MARATHON SQUAD BOMBS OUT
THE MARATHON squad announced by Athletics South Africa on Wednesday for the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in September caused quite a stir after it was discovered that a member of the squad, national marathon championship bronze medallist Ren du Plessis is unavailable for the squad. Du Plessis said that she had never been informed of her inclusion in the squad. “Nobody’s phoned me. This is the first I’ve heard of it,” she said. Du Plessis has already committed herself to running the Comrades Marathon on June 16 and, according to ASA regulations, cannot also compete in the Commonwealth Games.