Mali, the administrator put in charge of Athletics South Africa (ASA), following the suspension of President Leonard Chuene and the rest of the Board for their role in the Semenya affair, addressed the nine-member interim Board for the first time and urged them to focus on the future.

 

He said: "The big challenge now is to prepare for next year with the Commonwealth Games [in New Delhi], and looking ahead to the 2012 Olympics in London.

 

"Our preparation for these events needs to progress and stay on course.

 

"Our domestic season will continue and by the end of April we must have a new Board in place."

 

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) - of which Mali is a member - are currently holding an inquiry into the role played by Chuene and his colleagues during the Semenya gender row and they may face disciplinary action.

 

Mali said they had met with representatives from Nedbank, ASA's road running sponsor who withdrew a year early from a five-year deal two months ago, and track and field sponsors Yellow Pages, who have yet to confirm a new deal after their contract with the federation ended at the end of last season.

 

He said both sponsors had agreed to renegotiate ahead of the new season.

 

Mali said: "We had sessions yesterday and both sponsors are on board."

 

Interim Board member and former New York City Marathon champion Hendrick Ramaala, said he was relieved that athletes held one third of the seats on the board.

 

Geraldine Pillay, the sprinter who won two medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and former long distance runner Blanche Moila, who was the first black female athlete to receive Springbok colours, were also voted on to the interim Board last weekend.

 

Ramaala said: "We will fight hard to ensure the athletes have a real say.

 

"This office has been dirty for a long time now and it's time to clean it up."

 

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

 

 

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