Athletics South Africa to suspend president

Athletics South Africa (ASA) has announced its intention to suspend its president, James Moloi, following a decision taken during a 10-hour closed ASA Board meeting held on Saturday in Johannesburg.

Moloi has been served with a letter calling upon him to furnish reasons why he should not be suspended, failing which his suspension will automatically follow.

The meeting was convened to consider the official forensic report procured by the country’s Olympic mother body, South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).

The report followed Sascoc’s probe into revelations made before the Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture regarding the use of an ASA-issued credit card by Moloi.

After extensive deliberations, the ASA board accepted the recommendations contained in the Sascoc report and resolved to:

• Suspend James Moloi indefinitely after giving him an opportunity to furnish reasons why he should not be suspended;
• The ASA disciplinary committee will be called upon to investigate whether any other official of ASA, including its acting chief executive officer and finance manager ought to be subjected to any disciplinary proceedings concerning their role in the use of the said credit card.

ASA has formally notified Moloi in writing of his suspension and has requested him to show cause why the suspension should not be confirmed, binding, or made permanent.

In the absence of Moloi not providing any substantial reasons why he should not be suspended, and in the event of his suspension, the ASA board has appointed deputy president John Mathane as the acting president with immediate effect after the suspension takes effect.