Trust likens ASA's Evans to Idi Amin

THE Soweto Marathon Trust has launched a scathing attack on Athletics South Africa (ASA) president James Evans, likening him to Uganda's former dictator, Idi Amin.

"The only difference ... is that Evans has not killed anyone, but is busy killing the sport of athletics," the Trust said in a press statement yesterday.

Trust chairman Sello Khunou said the organisation was unhappy at being excluded from a "secret" TV rights deal struck between Evans and the SABC, which includes coverage of the Soweto Marathon.

He says until that changes the trust will not permit the national broadcaster to televise the Soweto Marathon.

"We will not allow the SABC to televise the Soweto Marathon on the basis of the agreement in question, not now, not in the future."

Khunou said Evans had refused the trust's request to meet the full ASA executive to discuss TV rights, adding that Evans had reneged on an earlier agreement to include the trust in the deal.

"We reached an important agreement with Evans in one of our previous meetings on November 3 2012 ... that ASA would not enter into any TV broadcast rights agreement with the SABC regarding the Soweto Marathon without consulting fully with us first," explained Khunou.

"It was also agreed that Evans would forward to us the proposed terms of the said agreement before the end of November 2012. Mr Evans never forwarded to us the said terms as agreed, until this day. Evans, in fact, went on to sign the said agreement, which is now shrouded in secrecy, without consulting with us at all."

Evans denied reneging on a deal with the trust: "The rights money is used to run the federation, as is the case with all sports ... All athletics events are covered by the deal, including Comrades, Two Oceans ... Soweto Marathon is not nearly in the league of Comrades."