Newly appointed Athletics SA (ASA) president James Moloi aims to hit the ground running in his role as the boss of the national federation.

Moloi wants to walk the talk and deliver on what he promised in his election manifesto. The 55-year-old long-serving Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) president won the race for the presidency by 12 votes when he received 39 votes against 27 to defeat Aleck Skhosana, who served a six-year term as ASA boss.

But history was made at the Southern Sun Hotel in Kempton Park on Saturday when first-time challenger Moloi became the new president. The soft-spoken administrator assured his newly elected board that the next four years would change the sport for the better.

Moloi said he would start to implement some of his key factors in his seven-point manifesto 100 days in office. His immediate assignment is to familiarise himself with the ASA office and conduct a meeting with his board to map the way forward.

Moloi promised to resolve broadcast rights. Fans had been starved of the action on the small screen. Since the return of track and field events, fans have to either stream the action online or watch delayed action.

“There is no time to waste. My priority is to address the broadcast issues. I want to make sure that all the athletics events are televised live on TV. The focus will also be on development. We will put the athletes first in the next four years in office.

“We will start to implement some of our objectives in the coming 100 days. We must assist the athletes to prepare for the Olympic Games so that they can make us proud. We must also assist the athletes that have not qualified for the Olympics to qualify,” Moloi told the Sowetan yesterday.

Moloi also promised to organise a grant for the provinces so that they must not miss athletics competitions. “It pained me to see two provinces missing out on the junior championships because they did not have funds. We will do everything to make sure that it does not happen again.” 

He said if he gets TV on his side, sponsors will turn as they will have a mileage.

Some of his seven-point manifesto key points include prioritising the interests of the athletes, improving corporate governance within ASA, forging strong relations with the corporate world to attract sponsors, and improving stakeholder relations with all ASA stakeholders.

The Moloi-led CGA hosted more events than any other province during the lockdown.

New ASA board

President: James Moloi

Vice-president: Shireen Noble

Track and Field chairperson: Jean Verster

Road Running chairperson: Enoch Skosana

Cross country chairperson: Jakes Jacobs

Athletes’ commission chairperson: Hendrick Mokganyetsi

Additional board members: Esther Malema (Limpopo Athletics); Ntathu Gwadiso (Border Athletics); Adelina Ranthimo (Athletics Free State) and Noma Nonkonyane (Western Province Athletics).