The decision by Athletics South Africa (ASA) to deprive South Africans of televised national championships is an act of gross negligence, a betrayal of our sporting heritage, and an affront to the principles of development and transformation in sport. 

This move is not just a failure in governance but a calculated abdication of responsibility. As someone who has been involved in sports administration since my days in SATISCO and through the establishment of federations that now govern our national sporting landscape, I cannot remain silent in the face of such mediocrity.

If ASA were genuinely interested in growing the sport, they would have taken a lesson from the legendary Dr Irvin “The Iron Duke” Khoza, whose leadership in football administration has been nothing short of revolutionary. The Iron Duke transformed the Premier Soccer League (PSL) into a powerhouse by securing lucrative television rights, ensuring widespread access to the game, and turning South African football into a multi-billion-rand industry. 

Under his stewardship, soccer has become the most professionally run sport in South Africa, with strong financial backing from broadcasting rights that benefit not just clubs but also grassroots development.

Contrast this with ASA’s incompetence. Instead of negotiating robust TV rights deals that could uplift athletics, ASA has decided to stream national championships on Facebook—a platform that does not pay rights fees or contribute to the sport’s financial growth. 

This decision strips South Africa of intellectual property revenue while granting American tech companies exclusive control over our content without any reinvestment into our local sporting infrastructure.

The justification for moving ASA’s premier event to Facebook lacks both business sense and a developmental vision. Unlike television deals, where revenue from sponsorships, advertising, and rights sales can be reinvested into the sport, Facebook provides none of these advantages.

ASA has yet to provide a single shred of evidence that this move will result in increased revenue, improved athlete welfare, or broader audience engagement.

Television remains the most powerful tool for showcasing athletics. When athletics is broadcasted on TV, it attracts commercial sponsorship, corporate investment, and government funding. Facebook cannot provide the same level of national reach, nor can it guarantee that advertisers will pour money into South African athletics. 

Instead, ASA’s decision benefits only Facebook, a foreign corporation that contributes nothing to our athletes, our federations, or our national development.

The blame for this catastrophe lies squarely at the feet of ASA’s leadership. It is clear that this administration lacks the vision, strategic acumen, and commercial intelligence required to run a national sporting body. Their decisions indicate either gross incompetence or a deliberate agenda to weaken athletics in favour of other sports.

But the government cannot remain a passive observer. The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture must intervene decisively. The government is the largest financial contributor to ASA and has the moral and legal authority to demand accountability. 

Public funds cannot continue to support an administration that actively works against the best interests of South African athletes. The Minister must run the riot act on these “slap tigers” who are dismantling our sporting infrastructure through negligence and self-interest.

ASA’s decision also raises serious legal and governance concerns. If there are existing agreements with the SABC or SuperSport regarding broadcasting rights, then ASA may be in breach of contract. Failure to honour such agreements could expose ASA to litigation, financial penalties, and reputational damage.

A forensic audit of ASA’s decision-making process regarding television rights is essential to determine whether due process was followed or if vested interests were at play.

Furthermore, World Athletics (formerly the IAAF) and the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) have clear governance principles that require national federations to act in the best interests of the sport. If ASA’s decision undermines the growth and visibility of athletics in South Africa, then both World Athletics and the CAA must intervene.

Athletics is not the personal fiefdom of incompetent administrators. It is a national treasure that belongs to the people. This sport has the power to transform lives, provide economic opportunities, and inspire future generations. 

Yet, under the current leadership, ASA is being run like a Bantustan of sports—a fragmented, visionless entity that exists only for the personal benefit of a select few.

ASA has historically victimized and sidelined professionals, administrators, and academics who have dared to challenge this entrenched culture of mediocrity. Many talented officials have been unfairly suspended, dismissed, or marginalized simply for advocating for good governance. This must end. Athletics requires progressive, visionary leadership—not leaders who operate through patronage and self-interest.

To add insult to injury, South African national champions receive pitiful financial rewards compared to athletes participating in commercial races like the Comrades Marathon, Two Oceans Marathon, and Cape Town Marathon. 

ASA, instead of prioritizing the well-being and financial security of our national athletes, has allowed their achievements to be overshadowed by retirement races that operate independently of the national federation.

This disparity is a direct consequence of ASA’s failure to secure sponsorships and broadcast deals that could elevate the status of our national events. If ASA was truly committed to developing the sport, they would ensure that winning a national championship is financially rewarding, not a footnote in an athlete’s career.

The ANC has always championed transformation, not only in government but in all sectors of society—including sports. ASA, as a national body, should be at the forefront of this transformation. 

Yet, under the current leadership, the organization has regressed into an insular, reactionary body that serves no one but itself. 
The government must use its influence to infiltrate and reform ASA, ensuring that athletics is run by individuals who genuinely care about its growth.

Our athletics legends—Sithulele Siqe, Matthews Temane, Zithulele Sinqe, and countless others—should be spinning in their graves at the state of athletics today. These icons fought to put South African athletics on the global map, often under harsh and discriminatory conditions. Their legacy is being tarnished by an ASA leadership that has abandoned the principles of excellence and fair play.

To borrow from the words of Amílcar Cabral, the great revolutionary leader:

“Hide nothing from the masses of our people. Tell no lies. Expose lies whenever they are told. Mask no difficulties, mistakes, failures. Claim no easy victories.”

ASA must be forced to account for its failures. The people of South Africa deserve the truth. We cannot allow lies, mediocrity, and incompetence to go unchallenged.

The idiom, “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king,” perfectly describes the leadership crisis within ASA. This phrase means that in an environment where no one has knowledge or vision, even a person with minimal understanding appears competent. ASA’s leadership is the one-eyed man, ruling over an organization that it has systematically blinded through mismanagement and incompetence.

But we are not blind. We see the damage being done, and we will not be silenced. South African athletics deserves leadership that is capable, visionary, and committed to its growth. 

The Minister of Sport, Gayton McKenzie, must act, government intervention is required, and ASA must be held to account. The time for complacency is over. The future of South African athletics is at stake.

Stan Itshegetseng is an athlete and former Gauteng Athletics Board member. He writes in his personal capacity.