Mark Smit
13 November 2008
Johannesburg — LEONARD Chuene, president of the federation that forms the backbone of SA's Olympic aspirations - Athletics SA - yesterday came out all guns firing in defence of Moss Mashishi, whose presidency of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) is being challenged by Gideon Sam.
Chuene's stance comes as a huge surprise in the light of an acrimonious disagreement between the two in the months leading up to the Beijing Olympics. But the veteran ASA boss said the public had been misled by the media reports of his spat with Mashishi.
"I had a problem with him over a matter of principle, but it was made to look personal," he said. "It never was personal. I have great respect for Moss as a leader and I believe he is the only man who can take South African sport to the next level.
"I believe in him and I want to go down on record as saying that I, and my federation, will be supporting him in the election."
Chuene launched a strong attack on Sam, chairman of the Lotteries Board sports distribution fund, suggesting Sam had used lottery money to support his campaign for the presidency.
"How come he hands over R700m to Sascoc now? South African sports federations needed that money before the Olympics to prepare for Beijing.
"What is the point of handing it over now? What good does it do now? Is he using that money to help his campaign?
"Moss has been with us all along. He has been in the trenches and he has felt the failures like us. Now he is the right man to get things right. It makes no sense to elect a new president now when Moss has all the experience."
Chuene's comments come against the background of fierce lobbying for positions on the Sascoc board at the elections on November 22. Sam is standing for all available positions -- the presidency, the vice-presidency and the board, despite reports that he would withdraw his candidacy for the presidency.
Informed sources claimed, at the time the nominations for the new Sascoc hierarchy were made public, that Sam had reached an agreement with Mashishi to withdraw his name from the presidency ticket, possibly in return for the guarantee of another position in the hierarchy.
Mashishi has not made himself available for any other post other than the presidency and has said he would walk away if voted out.
His reaction yesterday to news that Sam was staying in the fight despite rumours to the contrary was muted. All he would say was that it was apparent Sam had "further ambitions".
In terms of the Lotteries Act, Sam might have to vacate his position on the sports distribution committee if elected to the Sascoc presidency or board.
The Lotteries Act, section 7, says a person "shall not be appointed or remain a member of the board if he or she has or obtains any interest in any business or enterprise that may conflict or interfere with the proper performance of his or her functions as a member of the board or in any shareholder of the licensee or prospective licensee".
It also says that if any serving member "acquires or contemplates acquiring an interest which could possibly be an interest contemplated in the above paragraph, he or she shall forthwith in writing declare that fact to both the minister and the board". The board has to then consider whether there is a conflict of interest.
Efforts to contact Sam yesterday were unsuccessful.
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