ASA sets up Dispute Resolution Chamber as Moloi issues a stern warning to would-be detractors

Almost six months after being elected, Athletics South Africa's new board has taken a significant stride towards ensuring that disagreements between disgruntled parties do not play out in the public domain. At a special general meeting and Council Meeting held in Kempton Park last weekend, ASA president James Moloi announced the establishment of a new Dispute Resolution Chamber which has been tasked with resolving conflicts between aggrieved parties in the sport.

ASA President James Moloi is urging provinces, clubs and athletes to use the organsation's new Dispute Resolution Chamber. Photo Credit: MWMedia.

Speaking during the special meeting on Saturday 13 November, ASA President James Moloi explained why this body needs to exist saying they would prefer that athletics matters be resolved internally. “We urge provinces, clubs, athletes and all other, to make use of this forum and not to resort to taking athletics matters to court," he said about the chamber which consists of five judges.

Moloi's statement comes on the back of the well-documented and very public falling out between ASA and it's associate member SASA (South African Schools Athletics). In January 2020, ASA led by then president Aleck Skhosana suspended the SASA Executive and appointed an interim committee when the two organisations failed to see eye-to-eye on matters of school athletics. SASA decided to end their relationship with ASA and the ensuing spat between the two warring organisations required legal recourse and tarnished the sport's administrative image.

Members in attendance at the ASA Special General and Council Meeting in Kempton Park on Sunday 13 November. Photo Credit: ASA Media.

"Those who will bypass this chamber will bear the costs of their actions and ASA will in future not hesitate to suspend members who take matters to court," warned Moloi.

Meanwhile, the suspension of the SASA Executive, has been lifted. "This follows an official application by the affected Executive Committee to lift the said suspension. The interim structure that was appointed by ASA has now been disbanded. A sit-down meeting will be convened with SASA to resolve some of the internal matters that have been identified and deemed to affect the running of schools athletics," said an ASA statement.