World Athletics Warns South Africa Over Political Interference
A storm is brewing in South African athletics, with world governing body World Athletics issuing a stern warning to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) over what it views as government interference.
According to SABC Sport, the warning follows Athletics South Africa’s (ASA) recent appearance before Parliament’s portfolio committee, where a recommendation was made to dissolve the federation’s board.
This development raised serious red flags at World Athletics, which has consistently taken a hard stance against political interference in member federations.
Prior to the parliamentary hearing, ASA had already submitted a detailed roadmap to both SASCOC and World Athletics outlining plans to address internal challenges and restore stability.
World Athletics responded by backing ASA’s approach, granting the federation time and space to implement reforms while placing it under close monitoring rather than administration.
However, the situation escalated after the portfolio committee’s intervention.
In a letter seen by SABC Sport, World Athletics warned that any further interference could result in ASA’s suspension or expulsion, threatening to bar South African athletes from competing on the global stage, including the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
Precedents such as Athletics Kenya and the All-Russia Athletic Federation were cited, both of which faced severe sanctions under similar circumstances.
ASA has since turned to SASCOC for urgent intervention, formally requesting a public response to the recommendation to dissolve its board.
However, SASCOC rejected ASA’s roadmap in its current form and called for further revisions, despite World Athletics having already endorsed the document.
ASA vice-president John Mathane confirmed the seriousness of the situation, warning that the federation’s future now hangs in the balance.
‘World Athletics has made it clear they are satisfied with our report and will continue to monitor us. But the portfolio committee misunderstood the situation and treated it as if we were under administration,’ Mathane tod SABC Sports.
He added that World Athletics urged SASCOC to work collaboratively with ASA to resolve the crisis or risk triggering drastic consequences.
‘If SASCOC does not engage us and map a way forward, we could face expulsion or be forced down a legal route. This is something we must resolve urgently, for the sake of our athletes,’ he said.
