Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 63, October 2014 | Page 16

Ma in the lead

The
PRESIDENTIAL Plan
In June, after several years of turmoil, infighting, false starts, hirings and
firings, court cases and intervention by national and international sporting
bodies, Athletics South Africa appointed a new board under the leadership
of President Aleck Skhosana, tasked with the job of getting the ship
sailing in the right direction again – and the President believes that is
exactly what is slowly but surely happening. – BY SEAN FALCONER
MA: We’ve seen our track and field
athletes doing very well at the recent
Commonwealth Games and African
Champs, bringing home a number of
medals and national records as well.
You must be excited about this success,
despite the past few years of turmoil at
boardroom level?
It’s not only about me being excited, it’s about
the country being excited, and our children who
will come into the sport after this. Also, I am
sure government is excited that ASA is doing
what it is supposed to be doing. But we should
give credit where it is due: Whilst there was
turmoil in the sport, our coaches and athletes
remained focused. They did not stop going to
the track to train, or setting their targets, and
the proof is in their results.
We sent 13 athletes to the Commonwealth
Games and brought home nine medals, a
national record. We said we wanted to reclaim
our position as the powerhouse of African
athletics at the African Senior Champs, and
many people sa