Sport Industry Group

Doubts cast over 'undemocratic' ASA elections- 7 Sep 2010 00:00:00

The decision to stage the upcoming Athletics South Africa (ASA) board elections, scheduled for 18th September, has been thrown into doubt after the move was labelled as 'undemocratic' by critics claiming that it contradicts the governing body’s constitution.

South African Sports Congress and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) took a decision at their General Meeting in Bloemfontein at the weekend that Athletics South Africa (ASA) should hold elections to replace the seven board members that resigned during the year long issue surrounding the Caster Semenya situation.

The positions of the three remaining board members who are under-going disciplinary measures will be left vacant awaiting the outcome of the hearings.

SASCOC, which has been in control of the sport since the mass resignation, is due to hand over the reins back to ASA following the installation of a new board.

However it has emerged that no clear mandate was obtained in an ASA Special Council Meeting in mid-August to hold elections.

Despite this lack of clearance, the ASA office has sent the 17 provinces notice that a Special Annual General Meeting will be held on 18th September to elect the seven members, and that all nominations are to be submitted by Friday 10th September, a mere five days after the notification was given.

Critics have stated that the process appears to be totally contradictory to the ASA Constitution, which makes no allowance for a Special Annual General Meeting, and requires a minimum of 21 days notice for the holding of a Special General Meeting.

This could open the way for any election result to be legally challenged, a move that would plunge the sport into further crisis.

It is said that elections must be held to meet the IAAF deadline of November, by which time a new formalised ASA Board must be elected, but this does not account for the 12 day notification. Adhering to the constitutional notification period would make the 24th September as the earliest date.

A preferential date could be to target the 16th October, which would not only be after the return from the Commonwealth Games but still provide a two week cushion to the IAAF deadline.

Such a date may provide Interim Administrator Ray Mali with a few challenges as he is due to take over as Administrator of Gauteng Cricket on 1st October, and would have to find a means of working around that.
A mid-October date would allow provinces to serve democracy by providing their members with detailed feedback on what can only be described as the extraordinary circumstances of ASA administration in 2010.

Without such opportunity it would seem that the seven elected board members will be recruited from the same pool of provincial delegates as provided the Interim Board members last November.