Johannesburg – Athletics SA (ASA) is a “shambles” as it prepares for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil and has failed to put together a high performance programme for the “elite athletes”, less than three years before the games begin.
While South Africa may have finished the 2012 London Olympic Games as Africa’s best performer, ASA appeared to be ill-prepared for the Rio Games with not a single long-term strategy or high performance programme in place for top athletes, Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said on Thursday.
Mbalula made the remarks in a written reply to a question from DA MP Winston Rabotapi, who asked whether ASA had a high-performance programme in place to support athletes in preparation for the summer games. “No, Athletics SA does not have a high-performance programme in place to support elite athletes in preparation for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Currently Athletics South Africa does not have a strategic plan for the duration of the term of office of the current president of the federation,” said Mbalula.
However, he said, ASA athletes did qualify for the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) operation excellence programme.
Last month at its general meeting in Joburg, Sascoc announced the suspension of the entire ASA board, including financial manager Terrence Magogodela, with immediate effect. – Pretoria News