Four provincial athletics bodies have told national president Leonard Chuene and his board to resign by Wednesday or face criminal charges for fraud and failing to release the organisation’s annual financial statements.

The bodies, which have previously objected to the manner in which the Athletics SA (ASA) boss and his executive had handled the Caster Semenya affair, have added to their list of grievances the board’s defiance to the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).

The bodies said in a statement issued early on Tuesday morning that the ASA board had defied their own council – the federation’s most important decision-making structure – which in September had agreed that they would adhere to the findings of a Sascoc inquiry.

The ASA board was suspended last week, but they have since refused to go arguing that Sascoc was not entitled to take that action.

“The board of ASA is now not happy with the outcome and seeks to contest it through legal means. The ASA Board does not have the mandate of all its member provinces to engage in any legal proceedings against Sascoc.”

The four unions – Western Province, Eastern Province, Boland and Free State – said further that attempts to get the annual report from ASA general manager Molatelo Malehopo had failed.

They warned that if the ASA board had not resigned by noon on Wednesday, “criminal charges shall be laid against each individual member of the ASA board for various breaches of the Companies Act, including the failure to provide members with financial statements despite a direct request”.

“Criminal charges will be laid against each individual member of the ASA board for fraud, for intentionally lying to the members of ASA (in September), with the intention of causing them to act to their prejudice or potential prejudice.”

The four unions are also threatening to lay charges against the board members with ASA’s disciplinary committee for bringing the sport into disrepute and for violating ASA’s constitution.

They added: “A Special General Meeting of ASA will be called to consider a motion of impeachment against each individual member of the ASA Board.”
Sourced via timeslive.co.za

Popularity: 3% [?]

Currie Cup win would be fitting Loftus swan song

Springbok wing Bryan Habana will play his last game for the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld this weekend after being declared fit to meet the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup final.

Habana’s increasingly fragile hamstrings threatened to keep him out of the match. He was substituted early in the second half of the Bulls‘ 21-19 semifinal win over his new team, Western Province.

But, after a week of rest, the flyer returned to training yesterday untroubled by his injury.

The news is a relief for the team and for Habana himself. He hasn’t won the Currie Cup in an illustrious career, and if he were to assist the Bulls in winning their 23rd title it would be a fitting swan song for one of Pretoria’s favourite sons.

Habana’s impressive CV includes winning the World Cup, two Super 14s and the Tri-Nations title, but the oldest trophy has eluded him. He missed the Bulls’ 2006 draw with Free State because of injury and was on the losing side in last year’s final against the Sharks.

Later this year, following the Springboks’ tour to France, Italy, Britain and Ireland, he will again turn out for the world-famous Barbarians, to add another accolade to his bulging credentials.

But for now his focus remains on setting one elusive record right.

“There are a couple of big things coming up in the next month and a half which I would really like to achieve, starting with a Currie Cup final at Loftus,” Habana told Rugby365.

The Bulls were further boosted by the news that Springbok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle should be fit for the final. Bulls doctor Org Strauss declared the entire squad fit and ready for the game.

The Cheetahs also received a clean bill of health for those who played in the 23-21 semifinal victory over the Sharks.

However, they will be without Springbok flank Juan Smith, who hasn’t played in the Currie Cup this season after sustaining a knee injury in the Tri-Nations.
Sourced via timeslive.co.za

Popularity: 3% [?]

Provinces set to give it stick

THE cream of South Africa’s hockey talent will be on display at the Spar Women’s Inter-provincial Hockey Tournament in Pretoria from Monday to Saturday next week (August 24 to 29), and the return to action of some of South Africa’s greatest players could add some extra spice to what is expected to be a particularly hard- fought battle for top honours.

Several former members of the national team, including defender Fiona Butler and the great Pietie Coetzee, who was regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, will be turning out for Southern Gauteng. Western Province captain Kate Woods says this could make them formidable opponents.

“Southern Gauteng are always a tough team to beat, and the return of some of these players is going to make them even tougher,” Woods said. She said the new format of the tournament, in which the teams in the A section are divided into two pools, would make it hard for Western Province to defend their national title.

“We are in a pool with KZN Coastals, Northerns and Wit watersrand, which means that every match we play is going to be hard, before we even get to the semifinal stage,” she said.

“Natal are pretty good, with players like Kelly Madsen; Northerns are always very competitive and Southern Gauteng are so good that Wits, who are their B-team, are also very good,” she said .

“But (if) all your matches (are) tough ones (it) prepares you throughout the week. It’s better than playing some easy games during the week, and then having your first tough one in the final.”

She said Western Province had some injury problems, with three Proteas – Kathleen Taylor, Tarryn Bright and Lenise Marais – out of action.

Pool A of the A section comprises Western Province, KwaZulu-Natal Coastals, Northerns and Witwatersrand, while Pool B is made up of Southern Gauteng, North West, WP Peninsula and KZN Inland. Matches will be played at the Tuks sports grounds and at the Tshwane University of Technology .
Sourced via Sapa

Popularity: 4% [?]