ASA needs revamped corporate structure

South Africa is a nation of sports fanatics, people passionate about their teams and the individual sports stars. That South Africa has won the IRB Rugby World Cup twice since readmission into world sport is bears testimony to our ability both on the sporting field as well as in the boardroom. For years the rugby boardroom under the auspices of SA Rugby and Football Union (SARFU) was under the strong leadership of Dr. Louis Luyt whom some argue that he single-handedly put in place the foundation which set South African rugby on its path for success. Like rugby, South African cricket also enjoyed the leadership of a strong individual, one Dr Ali Bacher, who also set in place great foundations for the success that South African cricket currently enjoys. South African football was also blessed with the astute leadership of the late Dr Stix Morewa, whom many accredit with championing the professionalization of the football in our country. Athletics on the other hand has enjoyed relatively more success on the field than in the boardroom. At the risk of upsetting former leaders of Athletics South Africa (ASA), the organization has not had the fortune of a great leader at the helm and ASA therefore lacks the critical foundations such a leader would have put in place to ensure sustained success. When ASA first came into being it had a corporate structure that included a President and a Chief Executive Officer at the helm. The CEO then had a team of expert sporting administrators as part of his team. I say, bring back this structure. ASA, under the leadership of Leonard Chuene who effectively serves as an executive President of the ASA, coupled with the fact that ASA also no longer has the role of CEO has lead to the current impasse. I say, the President of ASA must be non-Executive, ASA must have a CEO who must be surrounded by a team of professionals to help run the sport more professionally. This team of professionals could range from medical and fitness experts, to seasoned marketing and communications individuals. The involvement of politicians in the running of sporting organizations should always be limited, if there’s to be any involvement at all. However, such is the extent of the disaster at ASA that in this instance I would urge the Sport Minister to get involved. Get involved in changing the corporate structure as I’ve suggested above. Professionalizing and corporatizing ASA is one of the few ways in which the Athletics body could regain credibility and over time re-ignite sponsors interest in Athletics. After all, sponsors provide the much needed funding towards the development of the sport, sponsors are the lifeblood of athletics and indeed of any sport.