- Sport Minister Gayton McKenzie disclosed he personally lobbied World Athletics to take a hard stance against Athletics South Africa
- World Athletics gave ASA six months to overhaul its constitution or face possible suspension of its membership
- McKenzie ruled out dissolving the ASA board despite Parliament's unanimous recommendation in March, citing risk of international sanctions
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has confirmed that he personally approached World Athletics to push for firm action against Athletics South Africa (ASA), which now has six months to overhaul its constitution or risk provisional suspension.
In a letter dated 15 October 2026, World Athletics set out the deadline, requiring ASA to adopt a constitution that meets modern governance standards. Failure to comply could result in sanctions, including suspension of the federation's membership.
McKenzie said the international body's intervention addressed longstanding governance concerns within ASA, adding that he had urged World Athletics to take the lead in driving the reforms.
“World Athletics has now said what we have said for some time: the problems are structural, and they start with a constitution that doesn't meet modern governance standards. I asked World Athletics to be firm and to take the lead on this, and they have done so. Government stands fully behind them,” McKenzie said.
Why McKenzie rejected call to dissolve the Board
Despite Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture unanimously recommending in March that McKenzie dissolve the ASA board, the minister has declined to act on that recommendation. Committee chairperson Joe McGluwa had warned at the time that the federation was on the verge of collapse.
McKenzie argued that unilateral government intervention would put ASA at greater risk. He described the World Athletics reform roadmap as a lawful and credible route to achieving the changes Parliament had called for.
What ASA must do
Under the roadmap, ASA is required to introduce term limits, end self-voting and multiple voting rights, and establish independent electoral and disciplinary structures, followed by fresh elections.
The Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture said its role would be to support, not direct, the process. This includes working with independent observer Zakhele Dlamini, monitoring the use of public funds allocated to ASA, and coordinating with provincial structures and the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC).
McKenzie warned ASA's leadership that time was running out. The minister also emphasised that athletes should not suffer for administrative failures.
The developments follow ASA's board removing suspended president James Moloi with immediate effect. On 6 October, a disciplinary panel chaired by retired Judge Basheer Waglay found Moloi guilty of two charges relating to the misuse of ASA funds.
Source: Briefly News