November 15 - Ray Mali (pictured), the former President of Cricket South Africa, will take over as the new head of Athletics South Africa on a temporary basis tomorrow following the suspension of Leonard Chuene and the rest of the Board, who were sacked following the Caster Semenya gender scandal.

 

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) said that Mali, the first black official to lead South African cricket when he was elected in 2003, would form an interim Board to govern and regulate athletics in South Africa and also carry out a review of the sport's financial status amid claims that it is heavily in debt.

 

The 72-year-old Mali, a teacher by profession, forged a reputation as a skilled administrator and a moderniser in South African cricket.

 

He shook up the old provincial structure, was a leading advocate of Twenty20 cricket, and broke down old barriers and ensured there were equal opportunities in the game.

 

Mali also briefly served as the acting President of the International Cricket Council (ICC) from 2007 to 2008.

 

Sascoc said Deputy Minister of Sport Gert Oosthuizen had informed a meeting that "Sascoc is the lawful authority to authorise the suspension" after the suspended ASA figures had threatened to fight the ruling in court.

 

The decision to place Mali in charge follows an intense commission of enquiry following ASA's mishandling of the Semenya row.

 

Oosthuizen said the Ministry of Sport backed Sascoc's suspension of the embattled federation after the Board and senior management had lied and attempted to cover up gender tests conducted on the world 800 metres champion.

 

He said: "In terms of the humiliation of Caster Semenya, the Ministry has declared our support for Sascoc who have the powers to act.

 

"People must be held accountable."

 

Sascoc said that it also hoped to repair relations with the world governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), and had already asked them to recognise the interim body in order for South Africa to compete internationally.

 

Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) and Athletics Mpumalanga have joined four other provincial athletics associations - Boland, Eastern Province, Western Province and Free State - in denouncing ASA.

 

The entire AGN board stepped down, while both associations gave ASA a vote of no confidence at special meetings.

 

 

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November 2009: South African athletes come forward to complain about Chuene and ASA
November 2009: Chuene suspended for lying in Semenya gender row
October 2009: Chuene told by ANC to apologise for lying over Semenya
October 2009: Calls for politician to be banned from Semenya discussions