THE new interim board of Athletics South Africa (ASA) is to warn ousted president James Evans against using official letterheads and pretending to still be in charge.
Interim ASA director Sello Mokoena said a letter would be sent to Evans, who on Sunday issued a statement in which he insisted he was still the federation’s president and claiming that the annual general meeting, where the board was voted out on Saturday, was legally invalid.
He even warned that ASA was at risk of suspension from the International Association of Athletics Federations ( IAAF).
“We are not responding to the statement … it was unsigned,” said Mokoena, who was at the ASA offices in Johannesburg to assess the cash-strapped federation’s financial status.
“But we will issue a letter to him warning him not to use official ASA letterheads and not to purport to be the president.”
He said the interim committee was trying to get a “financial snapshot” of ASA. “We know we need a rescue package, but where we get it from is a matter of discussion.” The annual meeting had been conducted legally, he said. Letters explaining the change of leadership had been sent to the IAAF, the South African Sports Confederation Olympic Committee (Sascoc), the Department of Sport and Recreation and the deposed board members.
ASA is hoping Sascoc will soon lift its suspension of the federation, which prevents athletes from being selected for multisport events such as the Commonwealth Games in July next year.
