Athletics South Africa (ASA) has suspended five of the country’s regional athletics boards – Boland Athletics, Central Gauteng Athletics, KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, Athletics South Western District and Western Province Athletics – for acting outside the ASA constitution.
ASA’s move came after the five provincial boards, led by Boland, had allegedly recruited 12 of the regional executives to attend a Special General Meeting in Johannesburg ahead of the scheduled ASA’s AGM on Friday night.
“Athletics SA has taken note of the attempt by Boland Athletics to usurp the role of the national federation and call a general meeting of ASA,” the athletics body said in a statement on Thursday.
“Their attempt is a blatant attempt to undermine the Constitution of ASA, especially since an official annual general meeting of ASA is due to be held the next day.”
ASA statement read: “Despite repeated warnings that they were acting in violation of the ASA Constitution, the Members continued regardless. It is up to the disciplinary hearing and ASA how long they will be suspended. ASA is willing to reconsider the suspension if any of the board members came forward and showed they did not support any of the decisions.”
However, it only affected the executive members and allowed all provincial commissions and other structures in each province to operate as usual in order to minimise the impact on the athletes, coaches and officials.
“No suspension shall be seen as a finding of guilt until the matter has been pronounced upon by the Disciplinary Committee,” the statement said.
Individual members of the provincial executives were also given the opportunity to make representation to ASA proving they were not party to the violations of the constitution with a view to being reinstated.
(Source: © SAPA)
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The South African Press Association (SAPA) was a non-governmental national news agency of South Africa that was established in 1938 and ran until its closure on 31 March 2015.
