The SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) says it is investigating the possibility of virtual elections‚ but adds the International Olympic Committee (IOC) “discourages” such a move.
Sascoc was responding to criticisms by parliamentary members that it wasn’t holding elections‚ which had been scheduled for March 28 but had been postponed indefinitely because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The matter was raised during Sascoc’s presentation to a joint sitting of the portfolio committee on Sports‚ Arts and Culture and the select committee on Education‚ Technology‚ Arts and Culture on Wednesday.
“It is their view that it is desirable for the Sascoc membership to hold the Quadrennial General Meeting (QGM) even if it is conducted virtually owing to the Covid-19 lockdown constraints‚” Sascoc said in a press statement on Thursday night.
“Though this idea is feasible‚ as a National Olympic Committee we subscribe to the IOC Charter and their prescripts. As such‚ the IOC’s view‚ while not prescriptive‚ discourages the hosting of a virtual elective conference having further noted the challenges experienced during the nominations process.”
The Sascoc nominations process was challenged after four people were disqualified from standing and another had alleged she had been blocked from standing at all by the then acting Sascoc president Barry Hendricks.
Two arbitration processes and a further two investigations have followed‚ and so far one has been completed‚ allowing the disqualified candidates to stand.
Three of the other probes‚ all looking into different aspects of the alleged blocking of Ntambi Ravele‚ are continuing.
“We undertake‚ however‚ to set a new date for the QGM soonest while monitoring and adhering to the government’s announcements on regulations surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic and permitting such a gathering.
“In the interim we continue to fully explore the possibility of a virtual meeting‚” Sascoc said.
Parliamentarians at the joint sitting had also demanded to see Sascoc’s financial statements and gave the umbrella body seven days to submit these.
“Sascoc confirms that we will meet the required deadline and submit the audited financial statements that were approved by the membership at the AGM in November 2019.”
Sascoc’s financial yearend was March 31‚ and the 2019-20 financials were being prepared for external audit.
“As the board we will continue to respect our government and its oversight parliamentary committees because without their guidance and support as a sport movement‚ we would be unable to achieve our mandate‚” acting Sascoc president Aleck Skhosana said in the press release.
“We also appreciate their understanding of our autonomy as an institution where they do not interfere with our constitutional obligations.”
